


Between an Alpha and Omega

by jolliapplegirl



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta/Omega, M/M, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Modern Era, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Possessive Behavior, True Mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:47:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23847667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jolliapplegirl/pseuds/jolliapplegirl
Summary: Jun Yibai is a beta, a near faceless man in a crowd of exceptional people. From the successful and powerful Alphas to the beautiful and refined Omegas, he is so far from their reach, he's practically underground. Knowing this, he tries his best to remain anonymous, just a mob character.Yet for some reason, exceptional people don't want to leave him to his life as a side character. Was it too much just to live his life without some Alpha pinning him to walls or some omega begging to have his babies? He was a beta, for fucks sake!
Comments: 59
Kudos: 355





	1. Prologue: Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> AN: So this is my first try at making an ABO story so have mercy on me.

Jun Yibai was born into a world where there were six sexes. They were simple. Male and female of various categories. Alpha, betas and omegas.

Alphas were generally at the top of society, found to have greater strength and intelligence than the other two genders. Place an Alpha anywhere and they'd succeed and prosper. There was no need for meritocracy in a world where alphas existed. There was no need to waste anyone's time bothering.

After them, were the omegas. While considerably weaker than betas and alphas, they made up for this with charm and wisdom. If there was something you wanted to know, an omega was the best person to ask. Their elegance and poise made them the ideal choice for celebrities and politicians, seducing people out of their money and votes with an easy smile.

Then there were the betas. There was nothing to say about them. They were what most people were, making up almost 70% of society yet having no great traits. 

Betas weren't smart, strong, or elegant.

They were barely average.

What does average mean in a world with superstars and powerful CEO's? Even when placed in a normal job, they were outshined by any alpha or omega that showed up.

This made most betas fairly bitter, derisively whispering about the exceptional minority that had unfairly made their lives harder.

Was it their fault that alphas were naturally smart and strong? Was it their fault that omegas were charming and beautiful? If not, then why did they have to suffer? Why force them to live alongside those who ruled because of genetics?

It wasn't fair.

Life wasn't fair.

This was the kind of world Jun Yibai grew up in. A world filled with beautiful and strong people who were despised because of those traits. A world where beta families spoke the words like 'alpha' or 'omega' like they were speaking out a curse.

Jun Yibai, having grown up in a pure beta family, was taught the basics of life as a beta.

Keep your head down.

Make a lot of money.

Have a family.

Don't associate with alphas or omegas.

Four simple steps and his life would be simple. Four steps that every member of his family had stuck to and lived by. 

Yet years down the line, he found himself struggling to fulfill those goals. All because of a pair of bastards that refused to let him remain just another face in the crowd.

A pair that didn't want to stay in their neat boxes and follow the agreed upon path. A pair of idiots who dared say they were his mates somehow.


	2. C: Li Suren

The day Jun Yibai's life changed was uneventful for the most part. He went to school and walked home. Nothing new or special.

Yet on his way home, he heard some noise.

"Ew, look at how pale he is!" A voice sneered. "Is he a ghost?"

"That would explain how quiet he is."

"Come on, make some noise, ghost!"

"Yeah, or else how will you anyone notice you when you start haunting us?" The trio of voice laughed as if ghosts weren't scary enough to make them piss themselves. Like they were tough for ganging up on a single kid.

It was at this moment, Jun Yibai's life changed, the turning point. He could have walked on, ignoring the bullies as he had many times before. If he got involved, they'd only turn their attention onto him. That's how it always went.

Yet his feet remained rooted to the floor, his hands clenched around the straps of his backpack as he stared down at the concrete below. The voices were echoing through him and something spurred him into action. He couldn't stay still.

There was no fight. Due to his family's profession, all the men in his family were fairly big despite being betas. Compared to an Alpha, they were small but to most, they were huge. Jun Yibai was no exception.

As such, the bullies took one look at the towering child standing behind them and ran, fearful he might do something. Not that Yibai would. It wasn't his way.

He turned to the bullied child, wanting to help him up and go on his way but stopped short when hed realized what had drawn the trio's attention.

This child was way too pretty, resembling a fairy that had come to earth. With skin like porcelain and near silver hair flowing down his shoulders with a pair of black eyes staring up at him. Putting it all together, this person looked way too much like a rabbit, shivering under Jun Yibai's indifferent gaze.

Now Jun Yibai didn't know much about what an Omega or an Alpha was. His secondary gender was still unknown and as a child, he couldn't smell the telltale scent of either gender. To him, Alpha and Omega were just words, something whispered and dismissed with derision.

Perhaps a normal person would have been charmed by the sight, feeling happy to have such a lovely face stare up at him. Yet staring down at this child, whose pale skin glowed under the sun and wide eyes filled with tears, he could feel what his parents had warned him about.

His instincts screamed: this person was trouble.

"I don't want to associate with you." He said, turning away. "Please forget this happened."

Those were the first words he spoke to Li Suren, a child a pretty and soft as a rabbit.

As the child ran away, his mind was on other matters. He'd go home, do his homework and forget about that pretty boy who made his skin tingle. His family edicts were law after all. He would just make sure to avoid that kid from now on.

Li Suren, watching his savior run away, felt a rush of longing in his heart. His own instincts reaching out to that retreating back. his expression dropped, looking less bunny-like by the second.

This person dared to take one look at him and say such things? Did he think this prince was someone who followed other people's orders? Was he this prince's master?!

He smiled, feeling a sudden determination to become close to that person, no matter what.


	3. C: Self Proclaimed Friendship

The next day, Jun Yibai woke up in a cold sweat.

He had run home, scared he was being followed by the pretty boy. Even though he didn't see anyone, the fear wouldn't fade until he'd hidden under his blankets. His mother had called out to him but after minutes of silence, she accepted that he didn't want to talk.

It was just him and his mother in the house, which meant things were quiet and he could think.

That person... was probably going to be an omega.

Jun Yibai knew from what his father said. Omegas were super pretty and that boy was the prettiest person he had ever seen. He looked soft and helpless, like a stray.

They absolutely couldn't meet again.

Yet when he tried to go to sleep, his dreams were filled with the pretty child reaching out to him. His words were muffled as Jun Yibai tried to escape. Yet at every turn, he'd appear once more, saying something to him.

Curiously, he thought there might have been two people there but surely not. Why would he be chased by two scary shadows?

In the end, he got caught by them and woke up with a gasp. The night was quiet and cool, his mother having come in at some point to crack the window.

Jun Yibai stared out the window, his eyes looking over what little of the city he could see from his bedroom. Far away, tall buildings rose high into the sky, the lights as distant as stars in his eyes.

The notion that there were people in those lights, doing stuff he couldn't even imagine, was strange. His father worked far away but nowhere near that far.

He wondered briefly if he'd ever get to see from those stars. To look over the city, not from the ground up but from the sky down.

No, that would never happen. He chuckled to himself as he yawned. He was a pebble, like his father and grandfather before him. 

That's what his father had said and who else knew more about the world than his father?

Seeing as how he wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon, Jun Yibai jumped out of bed and left his room. As his small feet padded across the floor, he spotted his mother asleep on the couch. Without a word, he placed a blanket over her.

After getting himself a snack, the child returned to his room and began to study. 

He heard when his father returned home from work an hour later and the brief argument that his parents had. He didn't bother to listen in. It was none of his business.

Just keep your head down.

So Jun Yibai went back to his studies, drowning out the world as his little hand went through the textbook.

***

The next morning, his mother was smiling as she served breakfast. The redness around her eyes was clear as day but Jun Yibai said nothing about it.

They both knew there was no point bringing up things neither wished to talk about.

Their conversation was light and casual, if not a bit bland. It was nothing new. That was until he asked the question.

"Where is dad?"

"Ah!" Xiulan flinched, nearly dropping her cup. She hadn't expected the question but quickly recovered. "Your father is still asleep. He worked late last night."

"Okay." Jun Yibai continued to eat, not really wanting to know any more than that. It was rare for his dad to still be home in the morning. He worked a lot so he'd gotten used to almost never seeing the man.

After making sure he was set for school, Xiulan saw her son off as he walked to school. The neighborhood was filled with betas that all knew each other so no one worried about their children walking to and from school on their own.

Jun Yibai, despite being surrounded by others, chose to remain isolated. Dozens of children his own age ran passed him, calling out to their friends and greeting them. A few even tried to greet him.

They were all met with a cold blank stare.

It quickly spread that Jun Yibai was a living statue. You couldn't greet him or talk to him as he would never respond. Yet you couldn't bully him either, as he was bigger than most kids and nigh immovable.

This was how Jun Yibai liked to spend his days. Going to school and not being bothered. He stayed silent in class and took notes, diligently doing his best to excel. When the test came by and kids grouped together, only he alone remained isolated.

Children whispered among themselves like they were bound to do.

Was he alive?

Did he eat?

Why was he so weird?

As time went on, the children stopped asking such questions. They stopped greeting him in the morning or trying to get a rise out of him. They treated him like a statue. Something to be ignored and passed without even a look.

It was only then that Jun Yibai started to enjoy going to school.

Yet all that changed a few days after his nightmare, when someone spoke to him for the first time in months.

"Hey!"

Jun Yibai felt his skin tingle, not having to look up to know what was standing in front of his desk. His nightmare had come to life.

Somehow, this troublesome person had found him.

Li Suren sat down at the desk in front of Jun Yibai, resting his chin on his arms. A cool smile graced his pretty face, making the few students around them stare. Such a pretty child, why was he talking to that nobody?

"How did you find me?" Jun Yibai spat, feeling frustrated that this troublesome person was now here. "I know you don't go here."

The smile grew wider, nearly predatory. "I do now. "

Li Suren had been searching for this person for over a week now, lurking by the area they'd met every day in hopes of spotting him. Yet this person was so rude, avoiding the area and running away.

Why? Wasn't Li Suren the cutest? Why run away?

The child refused to let this go. There were so few interesting people around Li Suren. So many people fawned over him, wanting to give him nice things and make him smile. Even those bullies were the same, liking him but wanting to get his attention exclusively.

Yet this person, he was the first person to see him and reject him.

Perhaps he should have let it go, having to beg his mama to find this person. He demanded that his mother, who claimed to love him and want his happiness above all else, to find his favorite person.

Sure he had no clue what his name was, where he lived or anything other than vague description but his mother wasn't a big shot in the police force for nothing.

Yet on such short notice, he only managed to get into the same school. They were still separated by class. Too bad.

Jun Yibai had no clue how much trouble Li Suren had gone through just to get here, having to beg and promise things to his parents that would never happen otherwise.

"Of course, you do." The child sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He should have known this person was a weirdo too.

Li Suren stared at the boy, curious about him. He really wasn't anything to look at. When placed side by side, clearly this prince was the one who would get all the looks. He was pretty, cute, and completely humble.

Yet Li Suren felt a deep longing to stay close to this person.

"Do you want to be friends?" He offered, showing off his most charming smile. It was the first time he'd ever asked anyone this and was confident this dumpy-looking guy would say yes.

It was Li Suren asking after all.

And yet...

"No."

"Eh?" It took the child a second to catch up. Had... had he been rejected again? So quickly?! "You didn't even think about it."

"I don't have to." Jun Yibai could tell what kind of person this preening kitten was. He was not about to get involved with a showoff.

He'd rather just continue to be unnoticed.

The kitten in question bristled, feeling aggrieved. He'd offered this person friendship and was rejected!? There was no way he'd give up with just that.

"Well, I'm Li Suren." He continued, continuing to stare. "It's nice to meet you."

The boy said nothing, turning back to the book he'd been reading before he was interrupted. If he didn't study, how was he going to get through the quiz later? Within moments, Jun Yibai had forgotten there was a kitty vying for his attention.

"You won't talk to me?" Li Suren hissed, living up to his nickname.

"Will it make you go away?" He shot back, not looking up once.

"No."

"Then no."

Li Suren pouted, not wanting to leave and give up but also feeling sad. He'd never been rejected this much. Perhaps it was pride keeping him here but he really did want to befriend this person.

There was no envy or admiration in his eyes when he looked at Li Suren. No, it was pure indifference, like he wasn't anyone special at all. Like he was just another person rather than a pretty face. He thought it might be nice to just be another face in the crowd if it was this person doing so.

Unaware of his contribution to Li Suren's worldview, Jun Yibai continued to study, quietly ignoring the boy in front of him. Li Suren, while determined, knew better than to push too much and just remained nearby, using any opportunity to enter his soon-to-be friend's line of sight.

Watching the two, it was easy to imagine a lonesome cat watching their owner, trying to get their attention but failing to do so. It was adorable but lasted only five minutes.

The bell rang and the students started to return to their classes.

Still, Li Suren remained, waiting to put himself in this person's eye. No one had bothered to get close before now, earning a glare from Li Suren whenever they drew near.

"H-hey, Li Suren?" One brave ventured forth, just wanting her seat back.

"What do you want?" He grumbled, glaring at the poor girl.

"Class will be starting soon." She pointed to the teacher who had just walked in.

"Oh?" He turned back to Jun Yibai, seeing that he still had yet to put down his book. How stingy. "Then I'll come here later, okay?" 

Despite him not looking up, Jun Yibai knew this troublesome person was talking to him. Li Suren was just passing the boy when he responded.

"Don't bother."

The kitty perked up, finally acknowledged by its owner. With glee, Li Suren wrapped his arms around Jun Yibai, hugging his tightly.

"Aw, don't be so quick to reject me." He purred, his smile widening as Jun Yibai let himself be hugged. He was sure the boy did so just cause it would be too troublesome to push him away but how could Li Suren not be happy?

***

Much to his chagrin, Li Suren kept his promise, showing up at his classroom mere moments after the lunch bell rang.

"Sweetie!?" He called out, his eyes darting about the room. Everyone's head shot up, amazed by the sight of the pretty boy.

All but one.

Jun Yibai clenched his fists, trying not to be noticed by that person as he attempted to sneak out the room.

He had better not be talking about-

"There you are, sweetie!" A hand slammed onto the door, trapping Jun Yibai in the corner. "Do you want to have lunch together?"

"Who are you calling sweetie?!" He snapped back, unable to hold it in anymore.

"You, of course." He replied smoothly. He was so happy his sweetie had finally responded to him. His papa was right about using pet names to soothe people over. "What else am I supposed to call you?"

"My name."

"Oh?" His smile grew. "Are you sharing?"

Jun Yibai clenched his teeth, refusing to be tricked by this troublesome person. It's not like there was much that could stop him from calling the child whatever he liked.

"Do what you want." He pushed Li Suren's arm away, slipping past the silver-haired boy.

"Eh?" Li Suren rushed to follow after Jun Yibai, calling out to him. "Sweetie, come back I-"

A girl stepped between them her face mildly flushed as she spoke. "Li Suren?"

Li Suren jumped, his eyes darting toward Jun Yibai impatiently. If he didn't stop him, Li Suren would miss his chance to have lunch with him. Yet he couldn't be rude.

Stupid papa and his ultimatums.

So he smiled, which was clearly forced but went unnoticed by the girls who began to swarm him.

"Li Suren? Are you going to lunch?"

"Yeah." He grumbled.

How about we share? My mama makes really good lunches.

"Sure." He sighed, his eyes drifting back up. To his surprise, his target was still nearby, watching the exchange. Li Suren beamed, waving his arm to catch the boy's eye. "Sweetie, do you-"

"Go by yourself." He snapped, turning away. He didn't have to look to know the girls were glaring at him. They didn't want him with them any more than he wanted to be there.

Why not respect the mutual feelings, eh?

"Fine." Li Suren pouted, feeling defeated for a moment. His sweetie was a stubborn guy but so was he! "Then I'll eat with you tomorrow."

Jun Yibai flinched, hoping against hope the annoying guy would get the hint. Why was he so fixated on him?

"No, leave me alone!"

"I'll see you!" He called out, his arm being pulled by the girls who fawned over him. "Wait for me, okay?"

Jun Yibai watched as he was dragged away, feeling a sense of relief that that weird guy was gone. But he was then left standing in the hallway with over a dozen other children staring at him.

Flushed, Jun Yibai ran to a dark corner and ate in peace, scolding himself for getting like that. He was trying not to be noticed so why did he let that guy rile him up? He was just an annoying guy. If he just ignored him, he would go away.

Yet life had a way of ruining one's assumptions in the worst way.

Not only did Li Suren continue to show up whenever possible, but he also began proclaiming their friendship to anyone who was willing to listen. While he never managed to get a name out of Jun Yibai, he did manage to make everyone in the school pair the two as friends.

This pretty and cool guy was friends with the statue? Surely that was just a rumor, right? How could they be friends?

The children were wildly curious, wanting to know who had started the friendship and how close they were. This left Jun Yibai in a bind, not wanting to talk to anybody yet being forced to.

No matter how much he denied it, no one believed him. Why would they? Other than his name, Li Suren seemed to know everything about him. Where he lived, his favorite food even his secret hobby of knitting.

"What don't you know about me?!" He snapped one day, having dragged the devious boy into a secret corner. Jun Yibai knew all the secret places in the school, having bundled himself in them for months.

Li Suren grinned, all teeth like a fox. "Everything but Sweetie's name."

"You know where I live." He still didn't know how he did that but the letters he'd found in his mailbox were causing problems at home. "Of course you know my name."

"Sure, but I want you to tell me."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Seeing that look, Li Suren flinched, feeling unsure for the first time in his life. Was he... disliked by this person? But why?

"Because I want to be your friend." He said earnestly, wanting to convince Jun Yibai. He truly only wanted to be this person's friend.

"You've already convinced everyone that we are." He snapped back. The endless nagging he received from Li Suren's fans was annoying. No one believed him even when he stated they weren't friends.

It was either that Jun Yibai was lying or Li Suren was lying and in their minds, the amazing Li Suren couldn't lie.

"Yeah," Li Suren sighed, looking away. "but you don't bend under peer pressure."

"So you admit that that was what you were doing?!"

To say he wasn't would be a lie. He'd hoped his sweetie would just relent and let them be friends. Li Suren was sure they'd get along. Outside the name conflict, they could get along well enough.

So why was he making this an issue?

"If I tell you my name, will you leave me alone?

"No!" Li Suren snapped, suppressing the urge to cry. Why did it have to be like that? Couldn't they be friends?

Jun Yibai saw that Li Suren was near tears and felt himself soften a bit. He didn't want to make this person cry but it was getting way too troublesome.

"What do I have to do to make you go away?" He breathed, taking a step back. Yet Li Suren grabbed his sleeve, pulling him back.

"Why do you want me to go away?"

Jun Yibai snapped his mouth shut, not wanting to say. It was for the best they did not get close. Li Suren was different from him. It was obvious.

Li Suren was cute, smart, and charming. He had the school wrapped around his finger within only a few days of attending. Girls liked him and boys yearned to be around him.

He was nothing like Jun Yibai.

"I don't need someone whose going to cause me trouble." He snapped, turning his back. Silence fell between the two. Before Jun Yibai could call up the courage to apologize, Li Suren had left.

Much to his surprise, his request was acknowledged. The boy kept his distance and didn't bother him afterward.

But that was not the end of it.


	4. C: Rivalry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Apparently, I'm a night owl cause I'm staring at the rising sun and my head has yet to hit my pillow. Truly, I live a healthy lifestyle~

Despite Li Suren's promise to not bother him, his reputation kept following Jun Yibai everywhere he went. If Li Suren did something, somehow, Yibai was supposed to know something about it. Due to the child's insistence that they were friends, many students assumed he knew a lot about him.

He didn't. He knew just as much about the popular boy as everyone else but somehow that never stuck. It almost made him want to skip school for a couple of days.

Almost.

But the end of the month was getting closer and seeing the grades of the bi-monthly exams was his favorite part of school. He refused to let that troublesome boy get in the way of his one joy at school.

***

In the teacher's office, the men and women sat in the room were all talking among themselves. They had so little time to themselves, how could they not take advantage? One such teacher, the homeroom instructed for class 3C, was slouching over his desk.

"Ah, having such a pretty student..." He grumbled, his eyes filled with envy as he spoke the Class 3A's teacher. Not only was he handsome but he had an adorable student too. "you are so lucky~"

3A rolled his eyes.

"Surely you have some cute students as well?" He stated, unsure why 3C was so bothered by this. Weren't all kids a bit cute and ugly at the same time?

"All my students are brats!" The other man snapped, looking annoyed. "So loud and annoying."

"Why'd you become a teacher if you don't like kids?"

"I love kids!" 3C snapped back, lowering his voice when he saw his coworkers turn in his direction. He ducked his head as he continued. "It's just that my class doesn't have anyone adorable for me to admire."

3A snorted, finding his co-worker to be quite amusing. He was so fixated on appearances, even his students were subjected to his words. Had he not been happily married with children of his own, 3A might have felt some concern.

But no, 3C was just someone who liked pretty faces as opposed to much else. He was an idiot that way.

"What about academics?" He tried, wanting 3C is find something to complement his students on. "Any smart kids?"

The man grumbled, looking put out. "I guess but he's just-"

"Teacher." Both teachers jumped from their seats, surprised by the sudden appearance of the child. Neither had heard him enter.

"Holy Sh-" 3C bit his tongue, knowing it wouldn't be good to curse in front of a child. Regardless of the fact that said child had just suddenly appeared from the ether like a freak ghost. "J-Jun Yibai, where did- How long- Why?!

"I came from the classroom, I've been here for a few minutes and you called me here." He answered, his gaze steady in the way a normal child would never have. It was these moments that made most people feel uncomfortable around him.

He was way too quiet, like he wasn't even there. This is what most people thought of Jun Yibai, especially the teachers.

3C, his homeroom teacher, however, just thought of the child as his super-smart yet not cute student. In that way, 3C was the kindest of all his teachers.

"Cheeky little thing." The man huffed, swiveling his chair over to his desk. "Well, I just wanted to let you know about your grade on the last test. You know how it is."

In their school, most of the children were average and barely managed to exceed expectations. They weren't the worse and there was no drive to push the students any more than necessary. Yet the principal had some pride and chose to reward those who did well despite not being pushed to.

To do well without being told at that age was admirable.

As such, a system had been put into place in which those who did well were rewarded by their teachers. To keep the children from feeling demoralized, the names of those who did well were a secret to everyone but the teachers. The scores went like so:

First Place: Student JYB

Second place: Student WRM

Every month, the scores would be posted with the children's initial, and the child would be personally rewarded in the teacher's office.

To be called to the office was Jun Yibai's favorite part of school. Since he was barely noticed, no one knew he was in first place. It was a fun secret, his covert pride as he slipped his gold star covered certificate into his bag.

Perhaps it was silly to be so proud of something no one knew about but knowing he was doing well made him so happy. Even if his face didn't show it.

Yet upon receiving his certificate this time, he didn't find any gold stars on it. It was all silver.

"Where are my gold stars?"

"Huh?" 3C looked up from his coffee. Looking over the certificate, he nodded. "Oh, right. You won second place this month. Good job though. No one else even got close to third so you are still doing well."

3C was legitimately trying to congratulate the child. While he wasn't cute or pretty, he at least was smart. That was definitely a plus when you lacked looks.

Yet Jun Yibai didn't feel the same.

"Who got first then?!" He demanded, his pride not allowing him to let the matter go.

"You know I can't tell you-"

"Li Suren, I'm shocked by how smart you are." 3A said from the other side of the desk. "I thought you were just a pretty face but you're smart too!?"

From the other side, Li Suren's little head only barely peeked over the desk. His pale as snow hair glimmered in the sunlight, drawing many eyes even as the child gave a bemused look to his teacher.

"Is... Is that a compliment or an insult?" He honestly couldn't tell.

"No no, don't listen to me. Go on and be both." 3A insisted, patting the small child's shoulder with enough enthusiasm to choke someone. His smile was practically consuming his face. "We need more smart and pretty people in the world. Finally, someone in my class beat-" He stopped, his eyes darting to 3C who was watching him. "O-oh, Teacher San, you are-"

Whatever excuse 3A was going to say was left unheard as Jun Yibai circled the desk to grab hold of Li Suren's arm.

"Li Suren!" Jun Yibai snapped, earning three pairs of confused stares. Li Suren was the only one to speak.

"S-sweetie?" The pale-haired child flushed, having not expected to see his favorite person so soon. Especially not in the teacher's office.

"Come with me." He said, dragging Li Suren from the room as their respective teachers supposedly made their feelings known. Either way, neither child truly cared.

They were both only thinking about the present and what would come of their upcoming conversation.

Li Suren was taking this as well as to be expected. Pure confusion.

"S-sweetie, what is all this?" He asked as he was dragged back to the empty stairway. While he was overjoyed that his favorite person was talking to him, he was very confused as to why. "I thought you didn't-"

"How much did you get on the last test?"

"Eh?" Li Suren blinked, lost for a second. Was this about the tests? "Uh, well... I was falling a bit behind so about a 92 I think."

"A 92!" He echoed, pouting as he thought about it. "So I must have made a mistake on question #7."

"#7? You mean the math problem?"

"Yeah, it wasn't covered very well in class." Jun Yibai grumbled with some resentment. While his teacher was good at most subjects, math was not one of them and he relied way too much on the textbook.

Li Suren nodded with understanding. "If your teacher was that guy, that's no wonder."

"Right?! It's not fair." He whined, stomping his foot. While it usually wouldn't bother him to get a couple of questions wrong, losing his first place spot hurt a lot.

His gold stars had been taken by this troublesome person.

Li Suren watched the boy as he seemed to grumble to himself about 'gold stars' and 'dumb variables complicating everything' and came to a conclusion. His sweetie seemed to be upset about his grades for some reason.

"If you want, you can have my certificate." He said with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't really want it."

"Don't want it? Don't insult my pride!" The child snapped back, yet again surprising Li Suren. "I don't need your charity."

"Is it that important?" 

"Obviously." He had worked hard to get good grades. He doubted he'd ever get a perfect score but first place was still a win in his eyes.

"But no one else knows who gets first place."

"And?"

"So then what's the point?"

At this, Jun Yibai could only frown, truly confused.

"Why do I need everyone to know to be proud of something I earned?" He retorted, surprising Li Suren into silence.

Li Suren was a very eye-catching child, with his pretty face and pale hair. Everything he did, he did with the purpose of gaining attention and showing off. It was because of this that upon learning about how the first place winners were required to stay quiet about it, he felt underwhelmed.

It was annoying that he couldn't show off when he'd earned those gold stars.

Yet Jun Yibai felt the exact opposite. Regardless of whether everyone knew or no one, his feelings didn't change.

It was quite an interesting contrast that Li Suren wished to explore more. Yet Jun Yibai had already moved past that point, stepping up to Li Suren like an opponent.

"But don't get any ideas about getting first place again." He warned, narrowing his eyes. "I'm gonna beat you next time."

"Next time?..." The child stared at Jun Yibai for a moment before an idea formed. This could be his chance. "Well, then how about we make things more interesting. A bet."

"A bet?" He echoed, frowning. "What are the terms?"

"Whoever scores first place gets a boon." He explained with a sly smile. "Since I won this time, I want your name."

 _Ugh, this again._ He rolled his eyes. "Why not wait until next time?"

"Oh? You're that confident?" He teased, his smile growing wide. "Well, think of it as just a sample, eh?"

Jun Yibai considered the conditions. It wasn't bad and he was sure he could beat Li Suren now that he knew there was a rival to watch out for. While he might not want to openly challenge him, he didn't mind finally having someone to match wits with.

"...Fine." He grumbled, hiding his mild excitement. "But I get something from you when I beat you."

"Oh, I like how confident you are. You're nothing like the sweetie that pretends to be a statue." Li Suren retorted, loving that his sweetie had agreed to his terms. It gave him a chance to get closer. "Now, your name."

"...Jun Yibai." He grumbled, feeling even more upset that he had to concede after weeks of work. Li Suren, on the other hand, beamed.

"Bai... " He breathed, feeling a deep sense of joy at finally being told the name of his favorite. While he already knew it, to be told was truly special. "Good, now that we have an agreement, let's get ready for it."

Li Suren truly didn't care too much about his grades. Whether he was in first or last place, his intention was to be friends with his sweetie. But if he cared that much about it, how could he not use this?

***

Over the next few months, their secret competition went on. As the children fought to get first place, they grew somewhat closer. Whenever one was having trouble, the other would seek them out.

Eventually, during the winter, the two boys found themselves huddled in the library, exchanging notes. Jun Yibai was focused solely on his textbook, determined to figure out how he'd messed up on one question. All the while, Li Suren watched him with a smile.

"Did you figure it out yet?" The pretty boy asked, his gaze never leaving Jun Yibai's furrowed brow. He must have been truly concentrating to have such a look.

"No." The child grumbled through clenched teeth. It was the same response as before when he was asked. Yet Li Suren was relentless.

"Do you want me to help you?" He offered, though he already knew the answer beforehand. It turned out that Li Suren had gotten the question right and was lording it over the frustrated child.

"I don't need your help!"

"Ah, but you won this time so you could totally just ask me for help as your reward." He said with a pout. At this point, they were tied but only one of them really cared about the rivalry.

Li Suren just enjoyed spending time with Jun Yibai. Every day, he learned just a bit more about the boy and he was having a great time doing so.

If only his companion wasn't so stubborn and just let them be friends.

Jun Yibai slammed his textbook and as if to prove Li Suren right, repeated himself. "I don't need your help!"

"Fine." His companion grumbled with a pout. "Well, then what do you want? You haven't told me yet."

Over the last few months, Jun Yibai's 'rewards' had been strange. It was almost always focused on school work. Lending him notes and suggestions on textbooks.

It was sad that he'd never asked Li Suren about himself.

Meanwhile, Jun Yibai shook his head, uninterested. He'd already told his rival that he had no interest in getting a 'reward' this time around. There was nothing he really needed from him.

This left Li Suren wilted as he watched his so-called rival ignore him for the rest of their study time.

***

The sun was starting to go down when the two boys finally left school. Jun Yibai was pretty tall for his age so there was no concern with letting him walk home alone. Li Suren, on the other hand, was picked up by a chauffeur, sleek black car, and everything.

 _Of course, he was rich on top of everything else._ JunYibai huffed, moving to walk around the vehicle.

Li Suren offered to give Yibai a ride but was refused outright. How was he going to explain a fancy black car driving him home if anyone saw him? It would be a disaster!

On his way home, Jun Yibai passed by some adults he sort of knew. They were friends of his father and always smiled at him and gave him treats.

There were no smiles or treats this time, just blank stares and murky eyes.

He tried to greet them but they basically ignored him. He briefly wondered if their meeting hadn't gone well today. If so, that might mean his father was in a mood.

When he arrived home, he didn't need to wait long to figure out what had happened. His father, ever the outspoken man, was screaming in rage.

"Again!" He shouted, a loud bang echoing through the house. "Those fuckers did it again and now my guys are-"

"Honey, please." His mother pleaded, her tone making clear this hadn't been the first time she had sought to calm the man down. "The neighbors will hear you."

"Let them hear me." He snapped back. "It'll be them next on the chopping block and then we won't have to keep our voices down."

Listening in, Jun Yibai quickly found out why his father was in a rage. He and his friends had lost their job to a couple of Alphas. It was a common story, one he'd heard his father rage about for many years.

He couldn't blame his father for his rage. Having his job taken from him like this was stressful. But it truly wasn't the alphas fault either.

Ever since the discovery of true mates, the union of an Alpha and Omega that were destined by some kind of pheromone thing, there had been a sudden surge in the population of the two sub-genders. Betas were still the majority but with the business world being only so big, a lot of alphas had to settle for the normal jobs.

The jobs that betas had secured for themselves for generations.

It was hard for those pushed out. What could they do? They weren't like alphas, who could settle into any job or like omegas who could comfortably be taken care of.

No one cared about the betas. They were background characters, the mob that is looked over and ignored. Never mind that they sweep down the streets and fill the shelves in stores. They were all faceless people in the crowd.

His father and every male in their family shared this fate and accepted it with a weary heart. His father was just more blunt about how he felt about the matter.

His father had eventually turned on the TV, probably to distract himself as his mother slipped from the room. As soon as she saw him, she gently pushed him to another room, sitting him down and asking him about his day.

Even as his father's voice grew angrier as he watched the news, his mother's gentle smile didn't falter. It was this that he admired about his mother. Her ability to stay calm despite it all.

But being calm wasn't what he wanted at the moment. 

"Is dad going to be alright?" He asked, knowing the answer already. He just needed clarification.

"Your father is... going through some things." His mother said, careful not to be too loud. "It might be best to stay at a friend's house tonight."

 _Ah, it was one of those kinds of fits._ Jun Yibai sighed, knowing his father was not going to be in a good place in a few hours. His mother usually tried to hide this from him but all the adults in his life knew how his father felt about non-betas. He was very **very** vocal about it.

"Okay. I'll call when I get there." He said with his overnight bag slung over his shoulder. His mother saw him out as he walked some distance. Her mind was set at ease, knowing her son would be safe at a friend's house.

The problem was that Jun Yibai had no friends. He had made sure not to make any. Friends went to each other's houses and he didn't want anyone to see his father. Worse, what if one of his friends later presented as an alpha or omega?

He'd be forced to cut ties with them anyway so why bother risk it? It was easier to be alone.

But now he was stuck outside with no place to go. On days like this, he would usually sleepover at his father's friend's house but considering the circumstances, he doubted they'd appreciate him knocking on their door.

But who else could he call to sleepover at?

His mind briefly thought of Li Suren and his annoying smirk.

No, he couldn't! It would be bad news if his parents found out who he had spent the night with. He was sure his father would lose his mind.

Yet despite his better judgment, he had already begun dialing that number. He'd been given the number by Li Suren as one of his rewards. He had to keep the number on his phone as per their deal.

It had never come up before and honestly, it was the last thing he wanted to do but there were no other options. His neighbors weren't on good terms with his father due to his views of their marriage and he doubted he could convince them to let him stay without answering some difficult questions.

Questions he had no answers for.

His cell phone rang for a while, leaving Jun Yibai to shivering outside for a while as he waited. It clicked and a sleepy yet familiar voice spoke.

"Yes?"

"Li Suren."

"Sweetie?" He gasped, clearly shocked he was being called at all. "Why are you-"

"No time for that. I know what I want as my reward this time."

"Okay."

"Let me stay the night at your house."

*****

AN: Jun Yibai's neighbors are a recently divorced beta and their newly wedded omega spouse. Jun Yulan used to be on good terms before the divorce when they got remarried, things turned sour.


	5. C: Presenting

Jun Yibai chose to wait for Suren in his local park, B-city park. It probably wasn’t the best place for a child to wait but better than being on the road. If he stood there, a police officer could spot him, and then there would be issues.

Being at the park when it was dark was a surreal experience. During the day, it was bright and gave off a positive feeling of joy and laughter. At night, it was quiet and made one wonder what monsters might be lurking in the dark.

Jun Yibai was scared but remained where he was. There was no point in panicking. If there was a monster, he probably couldn’t outrun it, and being scared wouldn’t help him.

Even though he knew this, he felt jittery and jumped when he heard something come from the bushes.

Some distance from the bench he sat on, the child saw three figures emerge from the trees. He had wanted to hide but was quickly noticed by the trio. He looked away as they approached.

“Eh?” One man said as he stared down at the child. “What’s this kid doing here?”

“Does it matter?” Another one snapped, grabbing the first man’s arm. “Let’s just go before someone notices us.”

Jun Yibai, at that moment, realized he might have made a mistake waiting here. These guys might have been doing something suspicious if they worried about being noticed.

He clenched his fists, hoping they would just leave.

“What about the kid?”

“What about him?” The second guy retorted. “He has nothing to do with us.”

“But…”

“Dude, leave it! Look, he isn’t even looking at us.” The man leaned in, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. Jun Yibai didn’t flinch, remain as still as possible. “He’s smart and knows what to see and not see. So there’s no point bothering the kid.”

“Fine.” The first man grumbled, moving away.

Watching the feet disappear, Jun Yibai let out a breath, relieved he hadn’t gotten involved in something strange. While he did wonder what they had been doing, he knew better than to look into it any further.

He’d read way too many books that had characters act on such impulses only to end up dead.

Thinking the men had left, he lifted his head to look around. The park was still the same. Dark, quiet, and creepy. Yet his heart leaped into his chest when he saw that the trio had only reached the park entrance. He still could make them out but when he saw that one man was staring back at him, he froze.

All he recalled was a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at him before he looked away, slamming his eyes closed.

He saw nothing! There was no one there. He chanted this mantra in his head, too scared to open his eyes again even when the park grew quiet again.

***

He wasn’t sure how long he’d kept his eyes closed but he found himself being shaken awake, a soft but familiar voice calling out to him.

“Bai!? Bai, wake up!” Suren sobbed, nearly tugging the other child off the bench.

Jun Yibai was a pretty light sleeper so if it wasn’t the sobbing that woke him up, it would have certainly been the tugging. He quickly woke up but was pulled from the bench just as quickly. The two boys fell back, one cushioning the others fall.

As the cushion, in this case, Jun Yibai felt the desire to snap at Suren but stopped when the boy wrapped his arms around him.

“Bai, I was so worried about you~” He sobbed.

It was a little surprising to learn that Li Suren was not a pretty crier. Despite how lovely an appearance he held, he cried with all his heart, with gasps, and snot running down his face.

While gross, Yibai felt a bit happy to see such a side of him. To know Suren wasn’t perfect.

“Are you really crying?” He huffed, petting the sniffling child. While his words were mocking, the gesture was gentle and eased the boy’s tension.

“You weren’t moving~” Suren insisted, pressing his face against Jun Yibai’s chest. He liked being petted but it was doing nothing to help his tears.

 _Don’t be so gentle if you don't want me to cry~_ He thought, even as his hands clung to Yibai.

“I fell asleep.”

“Outside?!”

“Uh…” Jun Yibai couldn’t really argue that. Sleeping outside was dumb but… he really couldn’t risk opening his eyes and seeing that the trio was still around. Peeking around, he saw that he and Suren were alone in the park.

He sighed with relief.

His thoughts were elsewhere when he felt a warm hand touch his cheek.

“Sweetie, are you okay?” He asked, his face mostly clean but still red. “Did something happen before?”

The taller boy flinched, wondering if Suren had seen the trio from before.

“Why does something have to have happened?” He snapped, jumping to his feet. Suren frowned, blinking at him with confusion.

“Because you called me.” He said slowly, his mind racing as he saw the other boy's shoulders relax somewhat.

Had something else happened before he arrived?

Jun Yibai, on the other hand, felt no concern, happy that his thoughts were hidden from the other boy. He didn’t want Suren to get involved with anything like that.

“I thought that would make you happy.”

“Of course, I was excited!” The pale-haired child said, jumping to his feet. He took Yibai’s hands and beamed like a star, nearly blinding the child. “Bai called me for the first time and even wants to spend the night. I couldn’t be more happy!”

He had truly not expected such a thing and had rushed out the door in his pajamas. It was only halfway out the door before his parents stopped to interrogate his sudden desire to take their car and driver.

He was sure he sounded like a crazy person just then, as he struggled to voice how much he needed to see Bai, as he was sure there was something wrong. Not only had he called him but asked to spend the night despite them being supposedly rivals.

How could he not worry!?

“But then on the way here, I started thinking about it.” He continued, his voice tinged with a quiet resignation. “Bai… you don’t really like me all that much.”

Jun Yibai wanted to respond but couldn’t. It would be bad to tell him that he was right but saying that to the person whose house he wanted to sleep at would be worse. They would both know he was lying.

In truth, Suren wasn’t a bad person. Sure, he was clingy and annoying but Jun Yibai liked how smart and determined he was when trying for something. It was admirable if not a bit annoying when it was directed at him.

He knew they could never be friends but he couldn't say he disliked the boy as much as he said he did.

Li Suren glanced at Jun Yibai, hoping for a refutation even though they both knew the truth. He sighed, feeling a bit hurt but letting it pass. He had never been disliked by anyone before and to have it be his favorite person was painful.

Yet despite how much it hurt, something in him didn’t want to give up on this person. He wanted to be close to this person no matter what.

“Bai.” He clenched his hand, staring into Jun Yibai’s dark eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

A moment of silence fell between them as Jun Yibai pulled his hand away.

“You won’t tell me?”

“Do I need to in order to stay over?” Jun Yibai asked, fully ready to walk away. If he needed to talk about his circumstances, he might as well go to the police right then and there. There’d be no difference.

“...No.” He sighed. As if sensing the tension, Li Suren let the matter go, not wanting to press any further. “If Bai needs me, you can take whatever you want from me.”

 _I’ll wait for the day you feel you can trust me with your secrets._ He thought, his hand squeezing Bai’s. The boy’s hand was cold from sitting out in the open.

_Whichever ones you feel like hiding now._

***

As they rode, Jun Yibai couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person Li Suren truly was. He didn’t understand why he was being so nice to him. Especially after knowing how Jun Yibai felt about him.

He really didn’t understand him and part of him really didn’t want to. It was bad enough that he was going to his house but if they got any closer and his dad found out…

No, he couldn’t get any closer than he was now.

“Bai?”

“Eh?” Jun Yibai jumped, blinking as he realized he'd been called, probably multiple times.

“We’re here.” Li Suren opened the door, holding out a hand to help his companion from the limousine. Yet the child was awestruck, staring up at the massive structure in front of him. Surely houses weren’t supposed to be this big!!

“Y-you live here!?” He cried, his mouth agape as he looked around. It was like an entire block had been used to house such a place. It was amazing.

Li Suren preened as he saw Jun Yibai’s awestruck expression. He’d never seen the child so animated.

“Sometimes.” He answered, taking the child's hand as he led them to the door. “Grandfather gave it to her as a gift, I think, so we only stay here when she’s nearby.”

“Oh” What more could he say. He had suspected Li Suren was rich but to see it presented in front of him like this was something else.

The trio, Li Suren, Jun Yibai, and the driver, walked to the door, only to be met by two more adults. The first was a tall red-headed woman wearing a short blue robe revealing her legs. She was very lovely and looked a bit scary as she glared down at the two children.

“Is this the reason why you tried to sneak out, A-Ren?” She snapped, leaning down to stare down intensely. Li Suren flinched, his hands tightening around JunYibai’.

“Uh…” Li Suren wilted, too scared to speak a word. Before he could even mumble an apology, Jun Yibai stepped forward, slipping between the two.

“I’m sorry, ma'am. It’s my fault for calling him so late.” He said, staring into the eyes of the woman. He noticed she and Li Suren had the same color eyes.

This must be his mother.

Li Suren’s mother cocked a brow, mildly surprised by the child’s gesture. Standing in front of her son as if to protect him. How cute.

The second woman, Liao Na, placed a hand on the redhead’s shoulder.

“Darling, don’t tease him anymore.” She gently chided, her voice low and soft. “Look at him. He finally made a friend.”

“I have friends!”

“Yet this boy is the first you invite over?”

“Sweetie didn’t want to before.”

“Sweetie?” The redhead echoed, her gaze falling back onto Jun Yibai. “Is this the kid you’ve been gushing over all semester?”

Li Suren’s eyes darted over the Jun Yibai, his face flushed as he mumbled, “Yes.”

The redhead, Su Dai, let out a loud laugh as she welcomed the two boys in. Her smile was soft and carefree, easing the tension in both boys.

“He’s not what I expected from what you told me.” She whispered to her son, peeking at the plain boy looking around the room.

“Papa, don’t be mean!” Li Suren cried, pushing his mother away. “Bai is super cool and smart!”

“Okay, Okay~:” Liao Na cut in, smiling. The gentle woman tapped her wife’s shoulder, shaking her head to make Su Dai stop. While she was all for teasing their son, it was late. She turned to her guest. “Xiao Bai, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”

“No thank you.” He mumbled, clenching his hands around his backpack. He was already intruding in their home. Asking for food would just be troublesome.

***

Despite Li Suren’s efforts, Jun Yibai didn’t talk to him. In fact, after his polite decline of food, the boy didn’t say a word, falling asleep as soon as his head hit a pillow.

Li Suren watched as the boy curled up and snuggled into the soft mattress. His brows, usually furrowed like deep rivers, had relaxed. It was a welcome sight.

Li Suren laid beside him, his eyes drifting close as he watched his sweetie sleep peacefully.

He could only hope he could give this to Jun Yibai forever.

***

The next morning, as one might expect from children who stayed up late, the two overslept. They were tossed in the bath together and swiftly dressed as the two women rushed them to school. It was only about halfway there that even one of them realized what had occurred.

Li Suren was still napping as they were driven to school, his head leaning against the window. Jun Yibai remained awake, his eyes darting about as he observed the car.

This was how Li Suren traveled every day? How luxurious could one be?

He sighed, closing his own eyes.

As soon as the two boys arrived, they were separated. Being huddled about as the nurse collected a student one at a time. It was only then that Jun Yibai notices how excited everyone else around him seemed to be.

There were whispers and the like that made Jun Yibai wonder if he had forgotten something. Something important.

Then it was his turn to enter the nurse’s office. The room was empty save for a few beds, a desk, and a tired-looking woman. She gave him a quick check-up before handing him some papers.

“Be sure to give this to your parents later, alright?” She said as she called in the next child.

This left Jun Yibai confused, wondering what was going on. Then he opened the letter and everything became clear.

There were a lot of grown-up terms but he knew how to read enough to figure out what was being spoken about.

He had presented as a beta.

He had forgotten that he and his classmates would be presenting as their sub-gender soon. It was actually what he’d been wanting to tell his dad the day before.

Staring at the paper, Jun Yibai felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

He had presented as a beta.

He had expected it since his family was purely betas for generations. The chances of him being anything else was next to impossible. While it did happen, it was too rare to even mention.

His teachers, when they saw his results, didn't share his relief. They had seen how smart Jun Yibai was and had assumed he'd present as an Alpha, despite how plain he was appearance-wise. Being a beta, they wrote him off as having reached his pinnacle.

Jun Yibai didn't mind these low expectations. He wasn't planning on living up to the expectations of those so willing to toss him aside. He never wished for much out of life. He'd always assumed it was his own will but it turned out that it was just his nature as a beta that made him like this.

How fitting.

***

Jun Yibai spent the day with his head down, his mind in jumbles as he came to terms with everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

Father lost his job, he stayed at Li Suren’s house and he presented as a Beta.

It was an eventful day.

Everyone else in his class was filled with excitement, being the first of the half dozen classes to get their results. Those who were obviously Alpha and Omega’s hadn’t gotten their results yet but were assured they were one or the other.

Curiously, Beta’s were easy to identify when they presented but Alpha’s and Omega’s took more time so those without results knew they’d present as one or the other.

It made the unpresented more smug as they flaunted themselves in front of the newly presented Beta’s. Jun Yibai tried to ignore them but they inevitably came to hassle him.

“Hey, statue!” One of two boys called out, standing nearby. “Did you get your results?”

“…”

The boy's expression darkened as he shouted. “Hey?!”

The class grew quiet but Jun Yibai showed no concern for the boys, ignoring them as he kept his head down. After a moment, the noise in the class grew as the second boy continued.

“He must have.” He jeered. “There's no way a guy like him didn’t come out as a beta.”

The two shared a laugh, amused by their own words. Jun Yibai, getting annoyed by the noise sat up, about to speak up before a familiar voice rang out.

“Do you even know what a beta is?” All three pairs of eyes darted toward the door, blinking as Li Suren moved between the two boys and Jun Yibai.

“Eh?”

“You don't, right?” He snapped, glaring at them. “So don’t ask things you know nothing about.”

“You-”

“Bai!” Li Suren turned to Jun Yibai, effectively dismissing them as he addressed his sweetie. “Bai, did you get your results?”

Jun Yibai wasn’t sure how to respond but chose to follow Li Suren’s lead and nod.

“Did you?” He asked as the two boys walked away sulkily. Li Suren paid this no mind, collapsing into the chair nearby with a dramatic flair.

“No.” He said after a minute, pouting sadly. He knew what longer tests meant. “I want to be a beta too!”

Jun Yibai looked up, frowning.

“You… want to be?” He couldn’t help but ask this. Never had he heard of someone wanting to be a beta. Most kids want to be great, be superheroes. What was closer to a superhero than an Alpha or Omega?

Even he had once thought what it would be like to be something other than a beta.

“Of course! If we are both beta’s, we’ll get to go to middle school together. It’d be great~”

Ah, he should have known it would be a shallow reason like that.

“Great for who?”

Li Suren, used to Jun Yibai’s dismissal, took the jab in stride, presenting his best aggrieved look.

“Doesn’t Bai want to spend time with me?” He pouted, hoping to soften his sweetie’s heart.

It didn’t work.

“You are still troublesome.” He grumbled, rolling his eyes at the boy’s antics. Didn’t he have any shame, showing such a face?

“Yeah, but if you ever need to spend the night somewhere, we can sleepover and-” Li Suren started, clearly excited by the notion before a hand was slapped over his mouth.

“We don’t talk about that.”

“No?”

“No.” Jun Yibai snapped with finality, relieved when the boy nodded. Li Suren knew his preferences pretty well so he didn’t argue the point.

***

The rest of the day went fairly normal, if not shortened due to the tests. Because there would soon be presented Alpha’s and Omega’s, the school was now focused on graduation. The final exams would be divided by sub-genders it seemed.

Jun Yibai didn’t get it completely but apparently it was bad for newly presented children to be mixed together.

As usual, he went home alone, though this time he made an effort to avoid the park as he feared those three adults would be there. Honestly, he just wanted to go home and tell his family the news.

He was so relieved to be confirmed as a beta. Sure, his lineage was pure beta but genetics had a strange way of complicating things. It was rare but sometimes beta’s produced alpha or omega children despite no intermarriages happening.

While most parents were happy with whatever sub-gender their child ended up with, the people in Jun Yibai’s life didn’t feel the same. He recalled a story his mother had once told him, about a beta family that had a child present as omega.

He was never told how it ended but the look on his mother's face made it clear it would be good for him if he presented as a Beta.

Upon arrival, he made sure to show his parents his results. His mother looked somewhat relieved while his father looked proud.

“Of course my son would be a Beta.” He said with overwhelming pride. “Our son isn’t weak or arrogant like those other people.”

“Honey!” His mother chastised, her eyes darting to Jun Yibai with concern.

“What? Am I wrong?” He shot back, folding his burly arms. “Our son is a humble and filial boy, knowing what is best for himself. He’s a smart kid.”

In other words, he knew who his father disliked and knew to avoid them. Both he and his mother knew what his father meant but neither said it out loud.

“By the way,” His father called out as Jun Yibai stood to leave. “where did you go last night, Yibai?”

The child suppressed a flinch, schooling his features so he revealed nothing. “A friend's house.”

“Whose?”

“A friend from school.”

“A beta?” The man’s eyes narrowed, looking suspicious as he pressed harder.

“...Only my class’s results came in so…” Jun Yibai lied, looking away.

“Well be careful.” He warned, stroking his son's head gently. “I don’t want you to get hurt if you ended up stuck with some Omega or Alpha as a friend. They’ll only tear you down.”

“Right.” He mumbled, looking away. Thinking about Li Suren, he really couldn’t imagine such a thing. The boy was annoying, sure, but he wasn’t as bad as he thought.

Perhaps if he wasn’t so clingy, they could actually be friends. 

***

The news report that night was fairly normal. Local sports and the like filled the air, settling the child's nerves as he ate with his family. Perhaps it was fate's way of easing the blow when it happened but nothing could prepare him for what happened next.

[In other news, a recent assault was reported near B-city park last evening at 8 PM. The victim, an Omega Male named --- was found unconscious in the woods surrounding the park. Witnesses claim there was a minimum of 3 suspects but no clear descriptions have been found. If you or anyone you know has any information on the incident, please call the tip hotline and-]

The channel was changed, his father grumbling about weak men and the like. His mother turned to Jun Yibai, warning him to be careful since he walked past that park often. The thought of an assault happening so close by was terrifying.

Yet Jun Yibai heard none of it, his eyes rooted to the table as the new caster’s voice echoed in his ear.

Three suspects in B-city park the night before. It had to be them. He knew what had happened. He knew who had done it. But he also knew what should and shouldn’t be said. Betas were background characters, never meant to be noticed.

Yet he had been noticed that night. In the worst possible way.

So he said nothing, rushing to his room to hide from the world. In the darkness, he thought about calling Suren, his phone digging into his palm as he squeezed it. Yet after what felt like hours, he just closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Li Suren's parents are a true mated pair, with Liao Na (Omega) being the one to carry their son. Because of that, Su Dai (Alpha) prefers to be called papa as she feels great pride for having helped create a child. It draws strange looks at times but Li Suren sees nothing weird about having a father who is a woman.


	6. C: Fork in the Road

It was a few days later when the thoughts of that night faded from memory. Yibai didn't really forget but like many things, that incident got buried under everything else. Upcoming exams, his father's new job, and his primary school graduation made it easy to forget the three pairs of shoes and bright blue eyes.

Much to his surprise, despite never telling Suren about his dilemma, the boy managed to keep Yibai's spirits up. He still clung to him and acted like they were friends, making it easy to forget his worries.

Yibai was careful though.

His father had been watching him closely as of late and didn't want the man to learn about his interactions with Suren. Even if he told the man how 'not bad' Suren was, he knew his father would disapprove.

Just one look at the charming and adorable boy and it would be obvious what he'd present as.

As such, despite his many attempts to bribe Yibai, the beta accepted any of Suren's invitations to his house again. He'd gotten lucky that his father hadn't noticed the scent of adult pheromones on him after staying the night with Suren's parents but he couldn't risk it.

While he and Suren might not be friends, he didn't dislike him either and wanted to enjoy the little time they had left together.

***

The day Suren presented as an Omega, the only one shocked by the news was him.

Suren stared down at the paper, near tears as he sat beside Yibai. The latter had wanted to eat alone but was followed around by Suren until he gave up and sat down. They had spent the last few minutes in silence.

Until, at long last, Suren broke the silence. As usual.

"B-but... I thought I'd be a beta~"

"Why?" Yibai retorted, peeking over. "You're pretty, charismatic, and well-spoken. What about any of those traits made you think you'd be a beta?"

Suren turned to Yibai, his eyes glowing with indignation. "Bai is well-spoken!"

"I noticed the first two traits mysteriously vanished." He deadpanned.

"Well..." The newly presented Omega faltered a bit, looking nervous. "Bai isn't pretty but even with your plain face, you look nice."

"That really doesn't sound like a compliment."

"It's not an insult though!" He proclaimed, clinging to Yibai's arm. As he knew the omega was a stubborn guy, Yibai let him. After a minute, Suren continued to whine. "B-but I wanted to be a beta, like you!"

"And I wanted to be left alone and yet here we are."

Suren was used to being rejected by Yibai, so none of his words really hurt him. Yibai was like a hedgehog in the omega's mind. Cute but prickly.

He never cared before this what he presented as. It was just another mark that would define him without his consent. Just another to add to the list. But now that he'd found Bai, he didn't want that mark to keep them apart.

He really liked his prickly sweetheart.

"Is there any way it might be a mistake?" He pondered, giving Yibai his best pitiful look. But his hedgehog had a heart made of stone that didn't even budge.

"Doubt it."

"Sweetie, why aren't you upset?!" He cried, looking near tears. If he was an omega and his sweetie wasn't, wasn't this the worst possible news?

Yibai, to his credit, noticed his rival's expression and earnestly responded with, "Should I be?"

He really didn't understand why Suren was so upset about this. This was how things were bound to be from the beginning. While he too was a bit disappointed that they'd have to keep their distance from now on, it was just the way things had to be.

There was no reason for a beta and an omega to be around each other.

"Yes!" Suren snapped, clutching his sweetie's arm. "If I'm an omega and you're a beta, that means we won't get to go to middle school together."

"Huh." He hummed, having forgotten that. "Is that so?"

It was well known to even unpresented children that there was a difference between Alphas, Omegas, and betas. As such, it had been an established law that after a child presented their sub-gender, they would attend a school made up entirely of that sub-gender. All three types would teach the same basic knowledge but focus on educating the students about their sub-gender's traits and difficulties.

The Alpha middle school would teach the students how to control their superior strength and ready themselves for properly interacting with others. Education on ruts and other things exclusive to them.

The Omega middle school taught their students etiquette and manners, as they were naturally charming. They would also be taught about their heats and how to properly manage them to ensure they can go through life with little to no interference from their biology.

The Beta middle school... nothing could really be said about it. It taught basic skills and trades. Beta's were lucky, as they had no biological traits that should get in the way of their daily lives. The only thing exclusive to them was just how normal they were compared to the extraordinary Omega and Alpha population.

In this way, those youthful and innocent children would grow up in a safe environment and be taught how to live with their sub-gender. It was good for them.

Suren, however, didn't feel the same.

"Bai?!" He cried, his large dark eyes glimmering in a way that would have swayed the heart of any who saw it. Even Yibai, with his stubbornness, felt a mild crack in his defenses when faced with such a look.

He sighed, putting his lunch aside. It was not like he was going to get to eat with this person around.

"It'll be fine." He assured the omega, patting him on the head. "You'll forget all about me and we'll get on with our lives."

"I won't forget you!" Suren snapped back, staring into his sweetie's murky gray eyes. "I swore I'd be with you forever."

Suren didn't think he'd like Yibai this much. At first, he just wanted the boy's attention but the more he spent time with him, the more he came to like this abrasive statue.

Surely, this had to be what his parents called 'liking someone'!

Yibai, however, looked unconvinced. His mind was on his father and how much trouble he'd be in if he was seen with an Omega.

It wouldn't be good.

"Yeah, sure you will." He said doubtfully, pushing Suren away. "Trust me, you'll forget about me soon enough."

Three years was a long time for kids. He was sure his troublesome person would find something or someone else to focus on soon enough. Why focus on some beta he knew in primary school when he was surrounded by capable and amazing Omegas'. Moreover, once he was mated, Yibai would just be another name in the yearbook.

It was the way of things.

Suren wilted, seeing his friend's dismissive expression.

"Bai, you-" He reached out, stopping when he saw his friend's unwillingness to be touched. He clenched his fist and showed a determined expression. "I won't. I swear, I'll be your mate in the future."

At that, Yibai almost choked.

An omega, mating with a beta? That was just a fantasy. If it was as simple as saying so, would there be any strife between the genders at all?

"Oi, are you ignoring my genuine feelings for you, Bai?" Suren grumbled, seeing Yibai's thoughts on his face.

Of course, he was. Why put any mind into the silly thoughts of this person. He was irrational, saying such dumb things when he knew that there was an alpha out there that was destined for him.

Who was dumb enough to give their heart to just anyone in a world like this?

***

For the rest of the day, Yibai did his best to avoid Suren. It wasn’t that he disliked the boy's presence but it would be best if he kept his distance from now on. While a beta’s nose wasn’t as good as Alpha’s or Omega’s, they could smell a newly presented Omega fairly easily.

Because of that, Yibai tried to wash off the scent Suren had left on him in the local park. It wasn’t the same park that the assault happened but there were still a couple of cops around, so Yibai felt safe.

Again, he felt the desire to tell someone about what had happened that night. It was scary to think he’d been so close to people who hurt someone. His dad had waved the matter off, saying that the omega should have known better but what about Yibai?

Should he too have known better?

There was no one to talk to. Not his dad. Not his mom. He couldn’t even tell Suren, though he was sure the omega would say something to get his mind off the distressing matter.

Yet he couldn’t even talk to the boy anymore.

He sat in the park for a while, watching the sunset. It was as quiet as ever and it helped ease his concerns. Sitting alone like this, he could pretend there was nothing else in the world but him.

No blue eyes that stared at him from the darkness.

No pairs of shoes that echoed in his ears.

Just him.

He sighed, about to leave when he heard someone call out to him. Looking over, he saw his dad standing with some unfamiliar men. Jun Yulan separated from his group, waving goodbye as they departed.

Seeing his dad with friends made Yibai happy. His dad was actually pretty nice when he was working. It was only when Alpha’s or Omega’s were mentioned that he got mean.

As such, Yibai rushed over to him with a smile, somewhat relieved to have a comforting presence to lean on.

Jun Yulan caught his son in his arm, frowning at the action.

“What's going on with you?” He asked, his gruff tone mildly tinged with concern. His son was usually pretty distant. “I don’t usually get hugs from you.”

“You don’t like hugs.”

“That's true.” He conceded with a nod. He glanced back at the boy. “So why now?”

“I…” Yibai stared up at his father, his desire to tell the man about those grown-ups he saw in the park burning a hole in his gut. It wouldn’t take much. If he could get one word out, the rest would quickly follow but…

This was his father.

“I got scared cause those men who attacked that guy are still around.” He said instead, too fearful to speak the truth.

“Ah.” His father relaxed, smiling down at his son as he stroked his head. “Well, they seem to be targeting Omega’s exclusively so you should be fine.”

“What about the omega’s then?” He couldn’t help but ask.

Yulan blinked in confusion. “What about them?”

Yibai sighed, realizing his father wasn’t understanding him. The man didn’t like omega’s so it was obvious what his answer would be. But how could Yibai explain his worries? He was sure his dad would tell him to keep quiet.

Beta’s don’t draw attention to themselves. He’d say, lecturing Yibai about minding his own business. It never did anyone any good to put yourself out unnecessarily.

It was best to stay quiet.

***

Yibai walked home with his father, listening as the man told him about his day. While he didn’t understand what he was talking about, Yibai found himself enjoying the conversation. Outside his father's dislikes, the man was very passionate and kind. He did what he could to help others.

Yibai liked this about his dad.

When they reached their house, Yulan cursed under his breath, realizing he’d forgotten his keys.

“And your mother is probably still out with her friends.” He grumbled, scratching his head helplessly. Seeing his father's frustration, Yibai offered his keys.

With a smile, it was accepted. In another world, that might have been the end of it. But it wasn’t.

The keys had barely moved before the man's smile fell. With a questioning gaze, brought them close to smell it. His frown deepened as he looked back at his son.

“What is that on your hand?”

“Uh…” Yibai didn’t get a chance to argue as his father grabbed his wrist and brought it close.

“Why do I smell an Omega on you?” His father asked, his tone calm. Yibai, on the other hand, was anything but. While his hands had been washed, his clothes hadn’t been. Some of Suren’s pheromone had brushed onto his hand from his clothes and Jun Yulan could smell it.

“M-my classmates presented recently and-”

“And you knowingly associated with them?” He growled, making Yibai shiver.

“They’re my classmates!” The boy argued, his eyes darting about the yard. “I can’t avoid them completely.”

Jun Yulan stared at his son for a long time before letting out a weary sigh.

“That's true.” He huffed, looking only mildly annoyed. “It's a shame we can’t enroll you in an exclusively beta school. At least then I wouldn’t have to worry about you being around those Alom’s.”

[AN: Alom: a term used by betas to address alphas and omegas as a group. Can be used derogatorily, depending on the context.]

His father said nothing after that, surprising Yibai in that he didn’t seem to get angry or annoyed about the subject. They went home and things were normal.

Homework was done. Mom came home and made dinner. Then the three of them watched some TV before heading to bed.

Curiously, when Yibai left his room for some water, he heard his parents talking about something but he was too tired to understand what it was. Something about taking care of Yibai and what was best for him.

He didn’t think much of it.

***

Three days later, he learned what his father meant when he said those words. Without any warning, the Jun’s were moving. To where, his father wouldn’t say. He just claimed it would be good for Yibai to get away from any of the omega’s around him.

The child felt mortified at the thought.

It was graduation soon, he tried to argue. The test he’d taken recently still hadn’t released the results. Yibai had to see what he got as a grade.

But his father shot all his excuses down. Technically, he had already graduated after the last exam. The graduation was only a formality and he wasn’t required to actually attend.

Seeing all his attempts fail, Yibai could only concede to his father's wishes. While his mother comforted him about missing out on graduation, she too was happy to move.

A new place is a new adventure. She argued, though only she seemed excited about it. Dad looked like he was just doing a job. The move was most likely connected to his new job.

This left Yibai distressed as he stared at his already packed bags.

His mind drifted to Suren, whom he’d been ignoring for days now. He felt a bit guilty to leave without telling him. Knowing him, he’d cry and whine about it.

But it was for the best.

They were a beta and omega. Sure, he enjoyed their rivalry but it was just a childish game. A game Suren chose to play along with. Even before he’d presented, it was clear Suren was the smarter one between them.

When Suren ultimately found true rivals in middle school, he was bound to forget all about Yibai.

Unbidden, tears started forming in his eyes, though he tried to fight them off. Whether the tears were because he would never get to break the tie between him and Suren or because of the omega himself, he chose not to think too hard about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: And thus ends the childhood arc. Off to the middle school arc where we meet more characters.


	7. M: That Which Came After

Jun Yibai thought things would change when he entered middle school but very little did. At most, his dad had more meetings and chose to drag him along sometimes. The teen had very little interest in the talks and used the time to study.

He might never be as great as an Alpha but he took pride in what little he managed to do despite people's expectations of him.

Upon entering middle school, he felt less nervous than before. Here, he didn't have to worry about his father's disapproving of his choice in friends. Everyone in the school, from the faculty to students, were betas.

This meant that Yibai could bring his dad to school without him glaring at his teachers because they were mated to an omega or something.

Yet for the first few days, he was sullen.

Despite being so far from B city, Yibai couldn't help but think about Suren. He told himself he shouldn't, that the boy was bound to forget him soon enough anyway. It was only a matter of time.

They were different after all. Being friends was just a silly thought.

_I swear, I'll be your mate in the future._

Those words echoed in his mind, amusing him with how silly it was. Yibai knew what his life would become. It would be the same life as most people in his position.

Uneventful.

His time as Li Suren's rival was nothing but a brief wave in his life of still water. Something to remember but nothing to dwell on.

***

His first year of middle school passed by in a flash. As expected, Yibai couldn't change himself so far into his life.

He was a general loner.

While others made friends easily, Yibai couldn't get himself to talk to others. There never seemed to be a common point of interest and even if there was, he couldn't make himself talk.

His words would get stuck in his throat and his expression would unconsciously dampen the mood.

In the end, he was friendless and classified as a gloomy guy.

He had thought... no, he had hoped things would be different in middle school. Everyone had presented so he knew who to associate and who to avoid yet...

He couldn't bring himself to open up to anyone.

Perhaps his rejection of others had become a habit but he couldn't make himself be friendly. Even when some nice beta came to help him, he couldn't smile warmly at him or even reply back.

It was distressing, to say the least.

Still, his first year at his school was nice. After rejecting enough invites, his classmates quickly learned not to bother with him.

It was peaceful.

It was quiet.

It was boring.

For a while, he found himself peeking over at the door as if expecting something to burst through them. Yet every time the door opened to reveal just another beta, Yibai felt angry at himself.

He shouldn't be thinking about that person.

It had been over a year and he still couldn't stop thinking about Suren. How was it that when they were together, he wanted nothing more than to get rid of him but now that he was gone, it was all he could think of?

Worse yet, he knew it was a one-sided feeling. Considering how flighty Suren was, he knew that the omega had long since forgotten him, probably finding some other person to pester.

The thought annoyed him a bit, though he chose not to ponder why. Instead, he chose to focus his mind on his studies. While there weren't any high achieving students he had to contend with, Yibai refused to lower his standards.

Perhaps it was a bit uncharacteristic for a beta but Yibai liked to rise above what was expected of him.

It was because of this that he found himself sitting in the school library studying after school. Very few students chose to stay at school longer than they needed and rushed through the gates as soon as the bell rang.

Yibai had nowhere else he could study in peace. Home was nice but his dad had been a lot more bothersome since he grew into his body more fully. Gone was the short child who barely reached his father's chest. In his place was a young man who was only a head shorter than his dad.

Jun Yulan was ecstatic, wanting to show off how strong his son was despite being only 13. Suddenly, the man wanted to hang out more and train his son to be like him. To take him to his job and introduce the boy to his possible future co-workers.

Yibai didn't want to do that.

He loved his dad and admired his work ethic but Yibai could only deal with the man so much. He already attended his father's community meetings despite how boring they were yet the man wanted to intrude on his studying time too?

Wasn't that just too much?

So Yibai found refuge in the library. While his father might want his son to follow in his footsteps, he wouldn't complain if he knew his son was studying rather than being irresponsible somewhere 'like those wayward delinquents'.

"Did the book do something to you?"

"Eh?" Looking up, he suddenly noticed a girl sitting across from him. How long she had been sitting there, it was hard to say. He feared she had been there for a while.

She laughed, seemingly aware of Yibai's thoughts.

"The book." She replied, pointing down at the notebook. "If you press down any harder, it might burst into flames from the friction."

Thinking about how many missed opportunities to study was lost before Yibai found a place his father couldn't bother him had him pressing down on his notebook hard. Had he not been using a pen, he was sure the point would have broken.

He hadn't even noticed.

"It'll be fine."

"Will it? How daring~"

Looking this girl over, he found himself staring. How could he not? She was a pretty face with a cat-like smile that stretched across her face, making her look devious.

Like a Cheshire cat.

“What?” She pressed, her smile growing. “You think I'm pretty?”

“I've seen prettier.”

“Ack!” She clutched her chest, looking wounded. “You are pretty ruthless for a delinquent.”

“What makes you think I'm a delinquent?”

“Clearly you are. Look how sour-faced you look, sitting in the corner like a loner.” She stated, though she didn’t look too bothered as she stared Yibai down. “Who knows what goes through your head.”

“Mostly just studying.”

“And someone prettier than me.”

“There are a lot of prettier people. Omega's for example.”

“Oi, that's not fair!” She cried, pouting. It was cute and the desire to pet her rose within Yibai. She continued to complain. “That's like comparing a casual jogger to an Olympic athlete. Clearly, omega's are a standard of their own. Don't be so cruel as to compare a beta and an Omega.”

It certainly was a cruel comparison. In a school without Alpha’s or Omega’s, it was easy to forget about them. Perhaps in a world without them, the world would be a bit more fair.

***

After that day, Jun Yibai was then haunted by that girl, who introduced herself as Min Yang Ru. She was like a ghost, appearing whenever one let their guard down. Much to his surprise, she was a fairly low key person in the school.

She was notorious for outing some bullies who tried to mess with her on her first day. Somehow, within a few hours, she had those once haughty and arrogant girls begging for forgiveness.

No one knew what she had said or did to get such a response but they quickly learned not to touch her bottom line.

Despite her reputation, Yang Ru was a very friendly girl, making friends easily and being admired for her tenacity. Those who would be targets for bullies stuck close to her, seeking her protection as if just being close would protect them.

In a way, that was true.

What placed her name on everyone's lips this time, however, was how the notoriously clever cat had become close to the silent bear residing in class 2-B.

Jun Yibai paid no mind to the rumors, allowing Yang Ru to occupy his space.

She was nothing like Suren, who would pester him regardless of how often he told the boy to go away. If he said nothing, she would talk around him, seemingly content to make commentary without needing his input. If he told her to leave, she’d smile and leave, going off to talk to someone else.

She’d always eventually drift back over to Yibai and the cycle would continue. It was a comfortable dynamic.

He eventually stopped telling her to leave.

“Are you waiting for someone?” She asked one day, sharing a desk with him. Yibai frowned.

“No. What makes you think that?”

“You keep peeking at the door. I notice you do it a lot.” She pointed out, smiling in her usual cat-like way. “At first, I thought you were checking me out.”

“Humble as ever, I see.”

“What can I say? In a school full of 4's, a 5.5 is queen.”

It was true that Yang Ru was very lovely. If not for her counterattack on her bullies, he was sure many would be clinging to her with their hearts in hand. Yet most were too scared of offending the girl and chose to stay a safe distance.

Cowards.

“By the way,” She continued, laying her head down on his desk. Yibai could almost imagine the pair of cat ears atop her fluffy haired head. “you said you were looking to get a part-time job, right? Well, my parents just happen to be hiring.”

“Your parents?” This was the first time she had ever mentioned anything about her personal life. They both chose not to talk about it after he resolutely told her he didn’t want her at his house.

Beta or not, he was sure his dad would make things awkward.

“En.” Yang Ru nodded, her gaze drifting elsewhere as she explained. “They own a gym in the city. It's pretty small but I think you’d fit in really well.

“Really? I’m not into fitness.”

Most people assumed he was someone suited for sports. His body had grown strong and fit, mostly because of his father's insistence on making him help out at his site. He chose to maintain his figure just because he disliked the thought of losing his hard-earned muscles.

Despite all that, Yibai was a very studious person, wanting to keep out of those kinds of things. Had it not been for his fit build, one would classify him as a nerd.

“I know!” she conceded, pouting. She sighed. “But my folks really want to meet you.”

“Why? They aren’t my in-laws.”

“Right? But they heard me talk about you and they wanted to meet you.” She grumbled, sounding like a scolded child. It was clear she was reluctant to ask but had to.

Yet none of that curbed his mild annoyance.

“What did you say about me?”

The beta quickly recovered her charm, blinking cutely at her friend. “Nothing bad, I promise~”

She was smiling that cat-like smile.

He didn’t trust her words.

Yet despite all that, he chose to take her up on her offer. Mostly because he really did need a job and working at a gym would allow him to more easily maintain his figure. That and the notion of gaining a paycheck was very appealing to him. Better to work somewhere you know the owners than somewhere you don’t.

Yet no one told him there would be such a troublesome guy there to make his job so much more complicated.


	8. M: Chen Guiren

AN: This chapter is unedited cause I'm tired and I've got school work to do so... yeah~

*****

The day he met Chen Guiren, he punched the boy in the face.

It wasn't the best way to introduce themselves but Yibai would never regret his decision to do this. When else, when time passed and this annoying person pestered him endlessly, would he ever get another chance like this?

Besides, he deserved it.

***

It was the weekend by the time Yibai found the time to go to the gym that Yangru had suggested. The trip there was uneventful, despite all the energy of those around him. The people around him were excited about something or another but Yibai just found it annoying and drowned them out with his headphones.

Upon arrival, the beta looked around, quickly finding the gym nearby one of the heavily crowded streets. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, both dreading the notion of having to talk to people often and mildly hopeful that he wouldn't have to deal with anyone annoying.

As expected, the now hiring sign was out front but to his surprise, there was no one else there. When he saw how close they were to the main street, he was thinking he'd have to deal with a bunch of other interviewee's yet the place was dead quiet.

If not for the signs up front, he might have assumed the place was closed.

Yet when he stepped inside, he quickly realized why the place was empty.

"What do you mean he's not here yet!? He said 11:30 am and yet he dares to be late?!"

From within, a young man could be seen with his back to the down. Hair as black as night shook as he shouted, his voice echoing through the gym.

"How dare he make so many demands from me and yet brazenly chose not to show up?" He snapped, slamming his hand on the receptionist's desk. The person behind the desk, a smaller teen, shivered as he pressed in close. "Give me his number."

"S-sir, I can't give out privat-"

The desk was swept clean as the hooligan's arm dashed away all the items. The receptionist flinched, looking terrified.

Yibai, who had been standing silently, scowled.

"Are you going to continue standing there like a yapping dog all day or will you move?" He snapped, gaining the attention of the young man. Yibai really didn't want to get involved but he couldn't stand people like this. Making trouble just because they were the consumer.

Bright red eyes glared at him, his handsome features marred by his scowl.

To be stared down so intensely by a stranger, one would think they were enemies. Yet Yibai didn't even flinch, instead rolling his eyes at the teen.

"Troublesome." He muttered, moving past him to talk to the receptionist. Seeing her shiver, he came to realize why they were looking for a replacement. This girl looked seconds away from quitting right then and there.

Yibai opened his mouth to speak, only to find the troublesome young man closing in on him. Red to grey, they stared at each other.

"What did you call me?" He snarled. Yibai thought he caught a whiff of something but wrote it off as nothing.

"Did I stutter?" He snapped back, his tone drawl and uninterested. "Do you wish for me to define the words I used?"

"Who are you calling a dog?!"

"What else would you call something that yaps about incessantly and indiscriminately?"

"I'm the wronged party here!" The young man argued, huffing indignantly. "Do you know how busy I am? You think I have time for abrupt cancelations with no notice?"

"So you make trouble for the clerk? You really are immature."

While Yibai could sympathize with the man's annoyance, he couldn't stand the fact that he chose to take it out on the clerk, who could only stand there and take it.

Hearing such reasoning, the young man could say nothing. He'd been angry before because he'd had to cancel a lot of plans to make this appointment. Learning that his trainer had just chosen not to show up pissed him off a lot more than anticipated.

Still, he had too much pride to admit he was wrong.

Peeking over, he watched as Yibai spoke to the clerk, his intentions made clear. The young man smirked.

"Oh?" He mused, leaning in. "So you are planning on working here?"

Yibai glowered at him. "You're still here?"

"Are you telling me to get out?"

"Shouldn't you? You made enough trouble, haven't you?"

A lesser man might have denied such a claim, slinking away in shame. Yet this man was completely shameless, choosing the linger about like a ghost.

"I've got nothing better to do." He stated, shrugging. On a whim, he looked over to the young man who chewed him out.

Yibai, despite being a beta, was built well. His stature wasn't much but he took up enough space to be intimidating. On this day, Yibai wore casual clothes that showed off his muscles and drew eyes. If not for his plain face, he might have drawn a few more eyes.

Today, he drew a troublesome person's eyes.

"Whoa, you are quite a sight!" The troublesome person mused, openly admiring the young man beside him. Despite being thinner than Yibai, the young man looked fit, being only a little taller.

With a predatory grin that made the clerk shiver, the young man grabbed Yibai by the shoulder.

"Maybe you want to play with me?"

Looking him over, it was clear the young man had a desire to fight. He looked very excited, his age showing through as he tried to pull Yibai over.

Yibai, unamused, shook him off. "Don't touch me."

The young man laughed, his previous sour mood having evaporated. He'd been itching for a fight and ended up being stood up. This guy had to compensate.

"Oh? How about you make me?" He pressed, smirking. He had expected that his taunt would egg him on but this guy's face remained static.

_Boo._

He was starting to think this guy must be an elder. How could someone so young be so uptight?

Said uptight youth felt very tempted to take him up on his offer. While Yibai wasn't usually the violent type, he found people like this way too annoying. It was clear that talking wasn't getting through to him.

Yet he couldn't get into a fight like some kind of delinquent.

Then a thought occurred to him.

The young man was about to try again to egg the shorter man on when he felt his collar being tugged, Before he could blink, he was dragged through the gym and dumped onto the fighting mats.

Yibai loomed over him, his cold glaze, bearing down on the young man as he cracked his knuckles.

"I haven't gone in for my interview yet so I'm still just a customer right now." He proclaimed, grabbing the young man by his collar. "That means we can settle your punishment right here and now."

The young man paled, even as his heart raced with excitement.

It was on this day that he met Chen Guiren for the first time. It was also the beginning of his most annoying part-time job.

***

Much to his surprise, Yibai ended up getting hired. He'd been worried that his punishment of that guy would make his would-be employers unwilling but...

It turned out that the guy he'd beat up was well known for causing trouble.

That was in no way surprising.

The young man, Chen Guiren, was a frequent client, sent in by his parents. It was unclear why, as the youth was clearly strong already but the amount of money his family had given them made it hard to deal with their troublesome son.

Yibai yet again felt great pride for having decked the guy quite a few times.

While the punishment wasn't as one-sided as he'd liked, it was good to have gotten the upper hand early on. Sure, he ended up taking an interview with a black eye but the win under his belt made it well worth it.

Yet despite his excitement, he felt a bit worried. If this Guiren was such a valuable client, would his actions have offended him enough to cause trouble?

Yibai really didn’t want to bring any trouble to his life.

Yet even after a week, there were no strange knocks on his doors or mysterious vans around to make him think he might have to deal with any retaliation.

It was a relief.

So imagine his surprise when he was abruptly called into work by a nervous sounding manager only to find that same troublesome person standing by the door with that same predatory smile.

“Yo!” Guiren looked overjoyed, his fangs glinting in the sun.

Yibai’s expression soured, bringing forth a burst of laughter from the young man.

“Is that any way to greet a client? Shouldn’t you smile and say ‘welcome’?”

“You're not the one paying us so why should I bother?”

“Ack, it's that kind of scathing tongue that I was starting to miss.” He muttered, following Yibai as he walked in. “It’s so cool how you just tear into people so ruthlessly.”

“That’s only with annoying people like you.”

“Oh, so I’m special then?”

“What do you want?!” He snapped, glaring at Guiren. The man grinned, feeling happy he’d gotten this guy’s attention.

“Didn’t anyone tell you?” He said with a wink. “I requested you as my sparring partner.”

It turned out that for the last few days, Chen Guiren had been making a fuss. For some reason, he didn’t want to fight with anyone other than Yibai, saying some strange nonsense about ‘he smells like a good partner’ or something.

After days of nagging, the manager relented and asked Yibai to come in just to shut him up.

How annoying.

Yibai couldn’t help but state, “I’m a receptionist.”

“A receptionist that fist fought with me.”

“That was before I even had my interview so I was just as much a client as you.”

“You nearly broke my nose!” He cried, touching his sharp nose like a wounded puppy.

“Yet here you are, with an unbroken nose. It’s a miracle.”

The sarcasm in his words was heavy and pricked at Guiren’s pride.

“You!” He wanted to say more but the teen behind the desk steadied him with a glare. He’d hoped that the teen would get the hint and leave so he could work yet this clingy ghost refused to move even an inch away.

“Look, if you’re not making an appointment or becoming a member, get out.” Yibai grumbled, resting his chin on his fist. He could feel Guiren’s heat radiating off him yet paid it no mind. This hotblooded guy had to be guided on the right path. “It's way too noisy with you around and you are keeping other customers from coming in.”

Guiren leaned in close, liking Yibai’s smell. “So?”

“It’s troublesome.”

“Ah, you sure do like that word, don’t you?” He grumbled, pouting. He folded his hands, trying to look contrite despite his ferocious looks. “Look, if you face me just one more time, I swear I’ll be good. I’ll even call you master.”

“I’d rather you just leave.”

“Ah, it's very rude to kick out paying customers.”

“It’s not illegal if they are causing a disturbance.”

“Just give me this, won’t you? Please~”

Something told him that this guy didn’t use the word ‘please’ often. Actually, everything about him screamed that he was a person who expected compliance the first time he spoke. Why else would he so brazenly cause trouble with no remorse?

Actually, that might be a good thing.

“If I spar with you and win, you have to promise to not cause any trouble here.” He proclaimed, staring the teen down with crossed arms. “I don’t need any servants but if you stop being troublesome, it’d be preferred.”

“Really?!” Guiren beamed, looking like a child being promised candy. “You’ll fight me again? Like before?”

Something about those words made Yibai consider rescinding his offer. Why act so excited over a fight?

Yet Guiren looked like he was about to scream, his predatory grin growing as they came close to the arena.

It was a normal gym with a closed-off area for those who wanted to box or spar. As most people in the gym were beta’s there was no set rule about how a sparing match could go. Whether the fighters wore protection or not was up to them.

Like the first time, they chose to go without protection. Yibai really wanted to make this annoying person feel his punches

Guiren agreed, saying that those kinds of protections were for those who disliked pain. He wasn’t afraid of pain.

Hearing this declaration, Yibai had to wonder if the guy in front of his was really a beta or not. He’d peeked at Guiren’s record briefly and he was listed as a beta, which confused him.

What about this guy was like a beta?!

While there was no set look for beta’s there were a number of traits not generally found in betas. Being tall, good looking and aggressive were high on the list.

That and he kept going on about smells.

Beta’s didn’t have as good a sense of smell as Alpha’s or Omegas. It made sense, as they didn’t need them. Most beta’s identified subgenders by looks hence Yibai’s confusion.

Yet what could he say? There was no reason to lie about being a beta. There was no reward for saying so.

“Oi, why are you spacing out?” The beta called out, looking miffed. “Am I boring you?”

“There are a dozen other things I’d rather be doing.” He shot back. He was lucky that there weren’t any clients in yet or he would have never agreed to this farce.

“Then I’d better make it worth your oh so precious time then, love.” Before Yibai could voice his complaint about being called love, Guiren ran up to him with his fist raised.

(AN: Let it be known that this apple is absolute shit at writing action scenes)

Yibai ducked, moving to strike from below. Unexpectedly, Guiren took the hit, his grunt of pain being the only indication that he felt it.

Guiren reached down to grab hold of Yibai but he rolled out of reach, sweeping his foot across the mat. Again, rather than moving away, Guiren jumped toward Yibai, tackling him.

Yibai had expected to have a fistfight, not a wrestling match but he refused to give in to this troublesome person. God knows what kind of annoying thing he’d pull if Yibai lost.

While Yibai’s focus was on the match, Guiren’s mind had drifted slightly. His instincts were focused on the fight but he couldn’t help but wonder why he felt antsy.

He’d felt it when he first saw Yibai and felt a familiar itch to fight, wanting to test this guy.

He was strong, which he liked.

Now that he was closer, he could take in Yibai’s scent as they tumbled and grappled. Sweat glistened off his muscles, making Guiren’s mouth water as he imagined how firm they were.

A wayward hand squeezed the beta’s bicep, making Guiren’s fang tingle as he imagined…

He fantasized about-

No, it wasn’t a fantasy. Those large hands were digging into his hand, tugging him away from firm skin as he licked his lips.

He could taste Yibai on his tongue.

Yibai tossed Guiren away, clutching his arm defensively. No skin was broken but the bite left a tingly feeling.

“D-did you just bite me?!” He cried, unable to believe it, even as he spoke the words aloud.

Guiren at least had the decency to look ashamed and he mumbled. “I-I…”

Yibai stormed over, looming over the young man.

“Chen Guiren, don’t act improperly.” He chastised. “This is a gym for betas. There's no need to act like something you’re not.”

To bite someone was not an act beta’s did. The only ones who did such a thing were alpha’s or even the rare omega. To bite someone was to mark them, proclaiming to the world that the other party was their bondmate.

Beta’s had no such thing, lacking the fangs to mark anyone. Even children didn’t do it, instinctively knowing it wasn’t proper for them to do such a thing.

Yet this beta dared trespass such an ingrained rule just to win a match?

Despite all the rallying calls of equality, reality was cruel. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas were different and had to be separated in certain fields. One of those being physical facilities. If an Alpha were to face an Omega or even a beta in a fight, it was clear who would win.

It would be like pitting a child against a professional athlete.

As such, there were very very few coed facilities that catered to all subgenders as it was bound to face difficulties. If too many people got hurt, it was inevitably going to be an issue.

Yet, despite the odds, the gym they resided in now was one of those mythical co-ed facilities.

Guiren stared up at Yibai, feeling mildly embarrassed.

He was an alpha but was instructed to pretend to be a beta. The scent blockers on him made it easy, making him scentless to everyone around him. He could have gone as an alpha, as they allowed such a thing but his parents were adamant about him learning to control himself.

Yet he bit this guy…

He’d never bit anyone, finding the thought disgusting. He didn’t want anyone’s skin that close to his mouth. Even kisses felt gross. Yet when he smelled Yibai, a haze came over him.

This strong person was so close, he could feel his breath on his skin.

He smelled wonderful, like something earthy and wild.

He really wanted to bite him.

He wanted to mark him.

For the first time since he presented, Guiren felt Alpha-like urges well up in him. Yet it was for a beta. A plain-faced, sharp-tongued beta.

A tongue ran over his fangs.

He felt mildly disappointed he hadn’t broken skin.

Seeing that his opponent looked unrepentant, Yibai could hold back his anger. Without a word, he punched Guiren in the face, knocking him to the floor. While he didn’t go down, he looked up at Yibai with a sour look on his face.

“Shouldn’t you have waited for the match to resume?” He grumbled, wiping the blood from his nose.

“Did it ever pause?”

At that, Guiren laughed, amused by this guy’s words. Was there anyone else who dared speak to him so

Yibai grabbed the young alpha by the collar, pulling him in close to glare into his blood-red eyes. Guiren stared back, briefly enchanted by those pale grey eyes to the point he almost missed the beta’s words.

“If you have time to bitch about me beating you, how about you do something about that attitude of yours?” He growled, scowling as he pointed at his arm. “Don’t go biting people so recklessly.

While an Alpha was all for biting others, if someone bit them it was sure to be seen as a challenge to their authority. Yibai felt he should try and guide this thick-headed young master before he did something stupid.

Like pick a fight and bite the wrong person.

Despite these good intentions, Guiren was no longer listening, feeling his heart race as Yibai tore into him with his words.

It would be many years down the line when this moment would be brought as the day Yibai gained an annoying person. Jun Yibai would never know just how much those words had enticed this young man.

What kind of weirdo fell in love with someone's sharp words?

*****

AN: And thus, 14 year old Jun Yibai has earned himself a clingy ghost.


	9. M: Master

AN: This chapter was a bit of a hassle, mostly cause I was trying to decide between making a long chapter and making things flow well. Can't say I did either but here ya go~

*****

For the next few weeks, a strange cycle seemed to have formed without Yibai noticing.

At least twice a week, Chen Guiren would show up at the gym with bruises on his face and a savage smile, declaring his intention to defeat Yibai. Sometimes the latter would comment on the wounds but he stopped when the man teased him about 'caring about other people's marks on him' and 'not getting too jealous over him'.

Yibai punched him extra hard that time.

They would fight and Yibai would win. Guiren, throughout the entire fight, would be grinning like a maniac. Even when he lost with blood coming from his nose, his smile was still there. He even laughed.

It was weird!

"Don't be so mean, Master." He'd whine when Yibai complained about the creepy laughter.

Another thing he'd grown used to was Guiren's way of addressing him. Ever since the second fight, the young man had kept his promise, continuing to call Yibai "Master". It was definitely strange but he couldn't get the stubborn guy to stop.

So he used it to make his job easier.

While his job was simple enough, there were times when troublesome people would come by. People fighting over equipment, tension due to proximity, or even just the usual inane stuff, like bumping into someone.

The gym was small so there was no security. Only a few trainers and him, the receptionist. For obvious reasons, that meant when something happened, there needed to be someone to handle it before police were called. But Yibai couldn't always leave his desk to handle things.

That's where Guiren came in.

The first time there was an incident, Guiren had been standing by his desk, begging for a match. The young man was insisting that he'd gotten much better and wanted someone to try it out on. Yibai roundly ignored him, watching as the incident began.

He didn't want to get involved if things settled on their own but he had to make sure.

Seeing that he was being ignored, Guiren turned to watch as well. Just as the offending party was getting physical, Guiren rushed over before Yibai could even twitch. Within seconds, the person's raised arm was pulled behind their back and they fell to the floor.

Yibai was shocked.

For the first time, he saw how strong Guiren was, pinning the offending party on the ground with ease. Guiren was only a little younger than him yet he managed to pin a much larger opponent with technique as opposed to strength.

He was impressed.

Guiren preened under Yibai's gaze, seeing the beta's thoughts as clear as day.

He definitely liked having this guy's eyes on him.

After the police were called to take the offending party away, Guiren went right back to begging for a fight. He boasted about what other 'cool tricks' he could show Yibai.

Somehow, Yibai felt that Guiren wasn't talking about fighting techniques and promptly refused.

"But if you refuse, how can I ever beat you, Master!?" He complained. His pout would have swayed weaker hearts but Yibai didn't even blink.

He knew this guy would just take advantage of any weakness he saw.

Still, sparring with him was kind of fun and it kept the fight-aholic quiet during his appointments. Yibai could only feel pity for his trainer on the days he wasn't on shift if he had to deal with this guy by himself.

Presently, however, this person was Yibai's problem. Their match had ended moments before but his opponent refused to sit up from where he'd fallen. If not for the manic grin on his face, Yibai might have been worried he'd killed his job's richest client.

"That was... awesome, Master~" He chuckled, staring up at Yibai with a hungry look. Even with his nose bleeding, he looked overjoyed despite his loss. "Let's go again. I'll definitely win this time."

Yibai, as usual, ignored the look. Instead, he couldn't help but voice his thoughts on his attitude.

"How can you be so confident after losing so much?"

"How can I not be?" Guiren sat up, blood flowing down his chin as he smiled. "If it's you beating me, then I'm still winning in the end, right?"

"..."

This guy was crazy, wasn't he? But he was a crazy guy with a lot of money so he couldn't let his bosses lose out on such a golden goose.

He handed the younger boy a towel, worried about how much blood was flowing from his nose. At his gesture, Guiren grinned.

Once again, Yibai took notice of his fangs and couldn't help but ask.

"Are your parents Alphas?"

Guiren blinked, confused. "Eh?"

"Your parents?" He repeated, pushing Guiren's head back to help with his nose bleed. This also meant that the beta was staring up at Yibai. "Are they an alpha/beta pair?"

It was rare but sometimes Alpha's produced a beta when their partner was also a beta. Most just produced other Alphas.

As if to further confuse Yibai, he heard a faint rumbling growl from below. Glancing down, he saw Guiren staring up at him intensely.

"Could you do that again?"

Yibai frowned. "Do what?"

"Your hand..."

What was he...? Oh, he'd grabbed hold of Guiren's hair when he pushed his head back. Did he want to be patted on the head or have his hair tugged?

Both felt a bit weird to him.

"I have to get back to wo-" He tried to pull back but was interrupted by Guirens' impassioned plea.

"I'll answer your questions or whatever." He offered, crawling closer. "Come on, Master!"

"..."

There was something appealing about having a guy on his knees and calling you master. Yibai, having spent a lot of time around troublesome people, felt slightly excited about the notion but pressed it down.

Guiren was a troublesome person!

"You're really not helping my confusion." He complained, giving in and patting the man on the head. The fact he practically purred at the touch made Yibai consider rethinking his world view.

This guy was a beta, right?

His record stated that much. Heck, even his features could be explained away as just a trait he gained from some Alpha ancestor. It wasn't uncommon for people to have traits that don't match their sub-gender.

Alphas with scent glands, Omega's with knots, and even the odd Beta with fangs.

Genetics was weird sometimes.

Still, Yibai couldn't help but wonder if that was the case with this guy.

So he chose to be upfront about it.

"Are you a beta?"

"What does my record say?" Guiren retorted, holding Yibai's wrist so he couldn't pull away. The beta didn't fight his grip, instead staring down at his captor.

His eyes narrowed. "It says you're a beta."

Guiren smiled up at him, cheekily asking. "Would you prefer it if I was an alpha?"

There was no hesitation in his response.

"If you were an alpha, I'd cut ties with you immediately."

Guiren flinched, his purrs ending abruptly. The young men remained in place, the air around them tense. Yibai waited for a reply, expecting a witty retort or a chastisement over his blunt words.

Yet all he got was silence and an abrupt exit. He almost missed when the younger boy had gotten to his feet.

Guiren was fast too, it seemed.

Still, Yibai said nothing as he watched the client leave for the day.

The next day, Chen Guiren didn't show up. Nor did he come the day after.

Without him around, the gym was deafeningly quiet, though there were still dozens of customers milling about. Yibai had just gotten used to how shamelessly Guiren would beg him for a match so the lack of it was weighing on him.

His mind unconsciously started thinking about Guiren. He thought he might have said too much that time.

Whether or not Guiren was a beta, his family had to have some alphas in it. His words were too careless.

Would he have to apologize? He'd rather not but...

His silence was noticed by the regular patrons and they all took turns trying to get a reaction from the mild-mannered clerk. All of them failed, however, as his responses were so mechanical, they feared any more pushing would blow a circuit in him.

Some wanted to try and challenge him to a match but recalling that their humble clerk was able to best Chen Guiren, who could take them all on despite being so young, they shot down that idea quickly.

A fight was better from the sidelines than from the arena.

All of this only came to Yibai's attention when Yang Ru came by and noticed the crowd. Walking over to the desk, the beta leaned back on the counter to take a look around the gym.

"So," She started, her tone tinged with curiosity. "where's your punching bag today?"

She had seen them fight before and could only watch in amazement as her mild-mannered friend pummeled one of her parents' best customers. She was impressed by her friend's abilities.

Had it not been that Yibai was not her type, she'd consider trying her luck with him. Though she knew she'd be rejected anyway, even if Yibai was her type.

"He's not here, as you can see." Yibai grumbled, staring past her.

"Yeah, I can see that." She cattily shot back. "Do you usually beat the shit out of customers?"

"Only when they ask."

"Ah, I didn't know my buddy was so kinky! Does that mean you have **those** kinds of interests?"

"What kind of thoughts are you having?"

"What kind do you think?"

Yibai couldn't imagine what kind of thoughts were running through her mind. Yang Ru was the kind of girl who knew things that would have his face burning red in seconds. It was... kind of terrifying sometimes.

He feared the poor soul who dared go through her search history.

Yang Ru continued to tease him, easily getting a rise out of the straight-laced teen. After a bit of back and forth, he interrupted her mid dirty joke.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, covering her mouth lest his pure soul be corrupted by her words. "I thought you didn't like coming here."

Yang Ru, like most teens, wasn't into being around her parents. When possible, she would call to say hi but never truly show up in person.

Yibai thought this was strange as, ever since he started working at the gym, he hadn't even seen the owners. So really, what was she avoiding?

"Well, if you must know... My parents want to meet you." She blurted out, turning to face Yibai.

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I dunno."

"Seriously, what are you telling your parents about me?" He said with a frown. "First the job and now meeting them for dinner? If they try to set us up, I'm ending our friendship here."

"Oi, don't blame me! My folks are just curious about you, that's all. "She snapped back. "I don't have many friends-"

"You have no friends." He pointed out, though Yang Ru continued on as if he'd said nothing.

"-aside from you, so they want to meet you." She explained, peeking up at her friend. "It's what **normal** people do."

Yibai snorted, not responding to her jab.

He knew that was a dig at him for refusing to introduce her to his parents. At this point, the only people at his school to have even seen his parents were the faculty and that was only at his orientation.

Yibai intended to keep it that way. Even if the school was entirely populated by betas, he feared what his mother or worse, his father would say to his classmates.

Yibai might not be the most popular guy in school but he much preferred having a reputation based on his own actions as opposed to one based on his parent's actions.

***

Despite his reluctance to meet his friends' parents, Yibai agreed to Yang Ru's invitation. Regardless of the weirdness, they were his bosses, so he should at least thank them for hiring him.

As such, after handing off his duties to the next clerk, Yibai went to the locker room to change, It didn't take him long to change though he did remember to greet his co-worker who was also getting dressed.

When he exited the locker room, he spotted Yang Ru leaning against the wall while on the phone. As he drew closer, her conversion could be heard.

"How is he then?... Yeah, I was going to bring him over today but if dad isn't feeling well, there's no point..." She grimaced in disgust. "Mom, I don't need the play by play of dad's heat, okay? That's not something I ever want to think abo-... M-mom! Please!" She pleaded as her mother apparently ignored her pleas.

After a minute, she covered her face, looking as if she was seconds from dying from embarrassment. Whatever her mother was saying, was troubling to the usually chipper girl.

It's all fun until one's parents shared just a bit too much, it seemed.

"Look, I'll pick up some congee from that place you like later for dad but please don't let me walk in on something gross~" She begged, covering her eyes as if to shield them from what her mother was saying. "Okay?"

There was a moment of silence before Yang Ru sighed with relief.

"Kay! Love you too, mom. Give dad my regards." Without another word, she hung up. She immediately let out a breath, sounding every part of the distressed teen.

Yibai stepped closer. "Something happened?"

Yang Ru jumped, having not noticed Yibai's approach.

"Eek!" She clutched the wall, glaring at him. "Damn it, Jun Yibai, are you trying to kill me!?"

"You wouldn't die that simply." He retorted, cocking a brow.

If it was her, her death would be with fireworks and fanfare. To die from being caught by surprise was too dull a death for her. She'd never accept it.

Yang Ru snickered, though she quickly coughed to hide it as Yibai's grey eyes drifted to her. His serious face when saying something so silly was too much. How could she not laugh?

To his question, she responded. "My dad isn't feeling good so my mom is taking care of him." She explained, sighing. "So I guess you'll have to wait to meet your in-laws."

"Don't joke about that." He grumbled, though something she said tickled his curiosity. "Your dad is going through heat?"

Heat was a phenomenon that afflicted omega on a semi-regular basis. There was no standard for their timing. Some had them a couple of times a year and others had them monthly.

As a beta, Yibai only knew that during an omega's heat, they were primed to be bred and attracted all kinds of attention due to their pheromones. It seemed incredibly troublesome to him, as it meant the omega was bedridden for days to at most a month without suppressants.

As their daughter, Yang Ru obviously knew this but also knew her mom would be 'comforting' her dad, so she planned on staying as far from their bedroom as possible while still staying in the same house. Considering they were both Omega's, it was going to be a long week.

When she explained that, claiming she'd probably have to stay with her uncle for a while, Yibai frowned at the new information.

"Your parents... are omega's?"

Yang Ru's eyes narrowed mildly.

"Is that a problem?" Yang Ru's tone was cold. Gone was the friendly and open attitude he's grown used to.

Yibai, after all this time, had found her bottom line.

He shook his head though he felt a bit nervous about the situation. He really didn't have an issue with Omega's. He just couldn't help but feel nervous like a child sneaking in to take some cookies without permission.

His father, if he learned that Yang Ru was the child of an Omega pair, would surely demand Yibai cut ties with her. He absolutely didn't want that.

She was the first friend he'd felt safe getting close to. He didn't want to risk it if he could help it. Yet another reason he was thankful their meeting fell through. He could now plan accordingly.

Yang Ru visibly relaxed as she saw her friend's sincere expression. At once, her usual cheeky smile returned.

"Cool!" She grabbed his arm, dragging him out the door. "Then let's go. I have to go on an errand but we should hang out for a bit."

***

A few days later, within a large estate that could easily house quite a few dozen families, a homeowner dragged himself through the door and let out a heavy sigh.

Jingyao walked into his home, exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to collapse into his nice expensive couch and fall asleep until his husband came home and gave him a much-needed massage. Maybe they could fit in a cuddle if they didn't pass out immediately. Who knows, the night was young.

Yet to his surprise, his spot on the couch on which he had placed all his hopes of relaxation on, was occupied.

By his son, who should have been somewhere else.

"Guiren, what are you doing here?" He growled, glaring down at the young man who shared his and his husband's genes. It was the only thing that saved the boy from a swift kick off his rightful resting place.

Guiren grinned, his tone light as he spoke. "What? Am I no longer welcome, dad?"

"You know the answer to that." Jingyao shot back, grabbing the back of the couch. "I'm more curious about why you are here instead of that gym you like so much?"

Honestly, he hadn't expected Guiren to take to that place so readily. He and his husband had chosen to enroll their son at a gym as a means to expel all the excess energy he had and teach him how to hold back his strength. Guiren was strong, even for an alpha, so they couldn't be careless with his more predatory urges.

Yet, while the gym was a good place to expel energy, Guiren refused to hold back and ended up hurting quite a few trainers despite his age. God forbid he gets any stronger. The trouble he'd cause would be way too excessive.

"I'm playing the long game, dad." He proclaimed, smiling with confidence. "Didn't you say distance makes the heart grow fonder?"

Jingyao's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you harassing this time?"

"Why does it have to be harassment?!"

"Because that's how you are?" He stated, crossing his arms. "So tell me who you're bothering now?"

Jingyao could only hope his son wasn't causing trouble for the owners. It had taken a lot of money to get them to accept his battle-hungry son into their small gym. With how much trouble he'd caused his previous gyms, the money was surely going to be needed later. Still, he hadn't heard any complaints, so he assumed his son had finally matured a little and learned how to control himself.

Yet his words made him worry that his son had gotten himself in some situation.

"I'm not bothering anyone!" Guiren insisted, jumping to his feet. "I'm just having a good time with a cool guy!"

"Did this 'cool guy' agree to this 'good time' or was it you who insisted?"

"..."

As he thought. Jingyao sighed, feeling pity for the poor soul who had gained his son's attention like this. There wouldn't be a single moment of peace for them.

Elsewhere, Yibai sneezed, wondering if someone was talking about him.

"He isn't weak, dad!" Guiren insisted, staring up at his father. "Mas-that guy isn't going to break. I've just been sparring with him."

"Sparring?" He echoed, frowning. "Didn't the owners say it was mostly beta's who attended that gym? Where didn't you find an alpha that could keep up with you?"

"That's just it! He isn't an alpha! He's a full-blooded beta."

The Alpha blinked in surprise. "A beta?"

"En, we've been having matches every time I go. It's great!" He cried, grinning savagely. "Really, it's just... Dad, there are times I don't hold back and he can still take every strike! Even better, I bet he will get even stronger later on. I'm super excited!!!"

Jingyao could see that. He had never seen his son so enthusiastic about a fight. While he definitely was a fight nut, his desire to do so was more out of anger or frustration than actual enjoyment. Yet Guiren's eyes glowed with glee just thinking about this beta guy.

But it did beg the question,

"Why are you here instead of the gym then?"

"Like I said, I want him to miss me, like that saying implies." He proclaimed shamelessly.

Ah, so this was all one-sided then.

"I don't want you harassing someone like this, Guiren." He chastised, looming over his son. Despite how strong the boy was, Jingyao was an adult alpha. Even if he didn't want to, he'd have to back down. "Think about the future, your future true mate."

Every Alpha dreamed of finding their other half just as much as Omega's did. Though in Guiren's case, he needed his omega more than other Alphas.

It wasn't common knowledge but an Alpha's true mate tended to help curb an Alpha's more base nature. Most alphas could live without such a buffer but Guiren was more in tune with his nature than others, possibly due to having two alphas as parents.

His omega would be nothing but good for the boy.

Guiren grimaced, hating the thought. If there was anything he disliked, it was being tied down.

"I don't want a true mate! I like Mas- that beta." He argued. "You and father didn't wait for your true mates."

"We didn't need them but you are getting out of control, Guiren!" Jingyao's voice was deepening, a subtle growl flowing forth that made most of the servants nearby lower their head in submission.

Out of sheer stubbornness, Guiren kept his gaze on his father. With a clenched fist, the staredown only lasted a few seconds more before the victor was decided.

"Would you allow an omega to get between you and father?" He shot back, his eyes darting away as he felt his father suppress him.

Jingyao's eyes narrowed at the thought.

If that idiot husband of his dared try and leave him, he'd definitely tie him down like he did in high school. There wouldn't be an unmarked spot for that floozy Omega to even get close to, let alone bite.

He knew what Guiren was doing but it was for his own good. He had to find this child's mate or else they'd never get him to be fit as an heir. The traits he had were only useful in controlled states. The way he was now, he'd only make trouble in the future.

Guiren could see that his father was not letting the matter go, the elder man being just as, if not more stubborn than his son.

"I'm not letting this go, dad! I like that guy."

Jingyao stared down at his son before sighing. He knew that look well. He'd had the same expression back when he started to pursue his husband.

Men with those kinds of looks rarely failed to get what they wanted.

 _Ah, that determination would be so much more useful if you weren't so much of a hassle to raise._ He thought with a sigh. Still, there was another matter to discuss.

"If you aren't going to that gym, you can make yourself useful and attend a get together with your Aunt Li and her daughter."

The get together was quite important to Jinyao, as his company was in the middle of a very profitable deal with another company. Unfortunately, the other side wanted certain conditions that Jingyao was unable to provide at the moment, so he'd sent his elder sister to smooth things over first.

Perhaps if Guiren saw how normal people acted, he'd learn a few things about when and where to show one's aggressive side. A punch to the face did, indeed, solve quite a few problems but the shitstorm that usually followed was never worth it.

Gurirne, as expected, grimaced at the order. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because you are my heir and you need to earn that title." He pointed out with a serious expression. "Go there, make connections, and maybe find yourself a proper mate."

"Dad!"

"You have nothing better to do, do you?" The elder challenged, cocking a brow. When the young man said nothing, Jingyao nodded with satisfaction. "As I thought. Now get dressed."

Guiren, with a deep scowl, stormed to his room, his door slamming as he disappeared from sight. Jingyao sighed, feeling a bit guilty.

He truly did want his son to be happy and marry the one he loves but... The amount of damage that boy had brought forth was starting to worry both his parents. They knew it was just a matter of having too much energy and no good means to channel it.

Their son really liked fighting, so they could do nothing else but sign him up for a gym.

And now, somehow, he'd fallen for some Beta there.

God, he was too exhausted to deal with all this~

Just then, the front door slammed open and a familiar scent filled the room as his mate walked in. He looked almost twice as tired as him. Even his husband, a strong and capable Alpha, looked ready for a nice five-hour coma.

But first...

"Hubby, come over here." Jingyao called out, crooking his finger toward the man. Like a sirens call, he followed Jingyao's call.

What followed was to be expected, though Guiren very nearly walked in on his parents 'reestablishing their bonds'. Luck was on his side as he heard their love-filled cries and ran in the opposite direction.

He'd considered asking his dad for a ride to the venue but nothing would make him get any closer. 

Besides, the hotel wasn't that far. How much trouble could he possibly get into in such little time?

*** 

Yibai stared up at the hotel, a bit in awe.

How could he not be? A 4 star hotel that housed celebrities and politicians on a regular basis. An establishment whose nightly rate had so many zeros, it boggled the mind to think the guest was just renting a room and not buying a villa. To think that he, a regular guy, was even allowed to step into the lobby was shocking.

Not for the first time tonight, Yibai wondered how his father had managed to get a conference hall here.

He knew he and his dad's co-works pooled their resources often but to be able to afford this was... impressive.

Then again, they were renting the room for only two hours so it was probably all they could afford.

Still, despite Yibai's desire to be a background character, he felt a bit excited. Who wouldn't be when stepping into an entirely different world? How could a single threshold be as magical as a portal? Separating the world of the everyday citizen from the world of riches and fame.

Perhaps had he been born an Alpha or even an Omega, he might have yearned to join this world but he was just a beta. He was content with his small income and simple life.

There was no need to complicate things.

Yet like all things in Yibai's life, things were rarely simple.


End file.
